Abstract

Diplopoda (millipedes) is one of the largest classes of animal kingdom belonging to the Devonian period constituting the third largest group after Insecta and Arachnida in terrestrial arthropods. These diplopods play an ample role in soil formation being involved both physical and chemical factors. In addition, millipedes can be as a bio-indicator for environmental changes in ecosystems. A study on millipedes such as Yellow-spotted (Harpaphe haydeniana), Red-spined (Xenobolus carnifes), Colossal slender spined (Spinotarsus colosseus) and American giant, (Narceus americanus) were conducted along the bank of Cauvery River in Kumbakonam region. The present study is intended to find out to know the impact on food intake and the growth rate of millipedes by artificial feeding of decomposed dry leaves and the amount of milli casts (faecal) produced of millipedes under captive condition.

The experiment was carried out during the monsoon season and hand picking of millipedes were done. Ten numbers each of four species of millipedes were kept in separate plastic jars. Dry and decayed leaves were weighed and kept inside the plastic jar as food for millipedes. Before starting the experiment all the individuals of the millipedes were weighed separately and inserted in to the jars. The milli cast deposited by millipedes were separated and weighed to know the production of amount of milli casts. In the case of Harpaphe haydeniana the increase of body weight of 10 individuals shows that there is significant differences between the individuals (F=0.1308, df=8.141, p=0.9969). Xenobolus carnifex shows that there is about 25% of the weight increase among the individuals (F=0.1385, df=8.134, p=0.9962). Spinotarsus colosseus the increase of body weight of 10 individuals shows that there is a significant differences between the individuals (F=0.05101, df=8.142, p=0.9999). Narceus americanus the 90 days period of experiment shows that there is about 25% of the weight increase among the individuals (F=0.1308, df=8.141, p=0.9969). It is suggested that the results of this experiment can be applied to millipedes in their natural setting, further confirming millipedes as important components of soil ecosystems and nutrient cycling.

Keywords

millipedes, body weight, food intake, milli cast, conservation, Cauvery, edaphic factor, forest floor, rotting organic matter, stadial durations, millipede species, captive condition, feed the diets, faecal production, detrivorous animal species