Order Chordeumatida

The Chordeumatida (Order Chordeumatida) includes 15 species across 7 families and 16 genera in our directory.

About Chordeumatida

Chordeumatida includes ~800 described species of small, pale millipedes typically found in leaf litter and caves. Many species are endemic to specific mountain ranges or cave systems, making them important for conservation biology.

Economic Impact

Chordeumatid millipedes have minimal economic impact. Several cave-dwelling species are critically endangered due to their extremely limited distributions and sensitivity to habitat disturbance.

Ecological Role

These millipedes are important decomposers in cool, moist forest habitats. Their restricted distributions make them valuable indicators of ancient habitat connectivity and refugia from past ice ages.

Families in Chordeumatida (7)

Species in Chordeumatida (15)

Austrotyla stephensoni

Conotylidae

Identification: Differs from other congeners in the notched or bifid, coxites of the posterior gonopods (Fig. 10). From A. coloradensis it further differs in the markedly reduced posterior lobe of the anterior gonopods (cf. Figs 5, 6) and the form of

Cleidogona fustis

Cleidogonidae

Identification: Apical branches of anterior gonopods turned anteriad, separating it from other Cleidogona Williams & Hefner (1928) confused C. fustis with C. caesioannulata (a valid species) in their paper on Ohio millipedes

Conotyla blakei

Conotylidae

Identification: Pregonopodal legs strongly thickened; leg 4 without a femoral knob; leg 7 with a strong femoral knob.

Craspedosoma rawlinsii

Craspedosomatidae

Identification: paranotal lobes rounded The first introduced Chordeumatidan known in the New World

Trichopetalum uncum

Trichopetalidae

Identification: Femur of leg 6 without a knob or hook; angiocoxite not deeply divided, sometimes apically cleft; angiocoxite with strong lateral branch