barrel millipedes

(Cylindroiulus spp.)

Overview  •  Description  •  Distribution  •  Taxonomy

Overview

Cylindroiulus is a large genus of myriapods known as barrel millipedes. There are 145 currently recognized Cylindroiulus species worldwide, 6 species in North America north of Mexico, and 2 species in Minnesota.

Barrel millipedes are native to the Palearctic region, which includes Europe and Asia, north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. Several species have been introduced into North America, and one species, Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus, is now widespread across the continent.
 
barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus sp.) (Cylindroiulus sp.)
Photo by Alfredo Colon
 

Barrel millipedes are found in moist environments, including in leaf litter, under stones, in decaying wood, and in soil, especially in forests, gardens, and grasslands. Their diet consists mainly of dead leaves, decaying wood, fungi, and other plant material. Some species, including Cylindroiulus punctatus, are often found just under the bark of trees.

Barrel millipedes are slow moving and they are active at night.
Description

Barrel millipedes vary in size from small to medium sized, and in color from light tan to dark brown. The body is almost cylindrical for its entire length–it does not narrow toward the end. It either does not have a tail or it has a rounded, clubbed tail. The rear part of each body segment (metazonite) has no hairs (setae). The front of the head also has no setae.
Distribution

Distribution Map

  

Sources

24, 29, 30, 82, 83.

Shelley, Rowland M. and Snyder, Bruce A., "Millipeds from the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota, USA, with an account of Pseudopolydesmus serratus (Say, 1821) (Polydesmida: Polydesmidae); first published records from six states and the District of Columbia" (2012). Insecta Mundi. 752.

6/21/2025  
     

Occurrence

 
Taxonomy

Subphylum

Myriapoda (myriapods)

Class

Diplopoda (millipedes)

Subclass

Chilognatha
Infraclass Helminthomorpha (worm-like millipedes)
Subterclass Eugnatha

Superorder

Juliformia (round-backed millipedes)

Order

Julida (snake millipedes)

Superfamily

Juloidea

Family

Julidae
   

Subordinate Taxa

barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus britannicus)

barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus)

barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus latestriatus)

barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus truncorum)

barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus vulnerarius)

blunt-tailed snake millipede (Cylindroiulus punctatus)

   

Synonyms

 
   

Common Names

barrel millipedes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Seta

A stiff, hair-like process on the outer surface of an organism. In Lepidoptera: A usually rigid bristle- or hair-like outgrowth used to sense touch. In mosses: The stalk supporting a spore-bearing capsule and supplying it with nutrients. Plural: setae. Adjective: setose.

 

 

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Alfredo Colon
barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus sp.)

 
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Alfredo Colon
6/14/2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

barrel millipede (Cylindroiulus sp.)
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Created: 2/1/2019

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