Parafontaria is a genus of "flat-backed" millipedes (order Polydesmida) consisting of 14 species native to Japan and Korea.Marek, P., et al. (2014) A Species Catalog of the Millipede Family Xystodesmidae (Diplopoda: Polydesmida). Special Publication 17. Virginia Museum of Natural History. pp.86-90 Parafontaria laminata armigera, formerly called train millipedes, has been synonymized with P. laminata. This is because some populations exhibit periodical swarming behavior during which large numbers congregate and can impact train passage when this congregation occurs on tracks. Documentation of this event goes back to 1920. Individuals vary from around as adults, and feed on leaf litter as well as soil, making them comparable to earthworms in facilitating decomposition and soil nutrient cycling.
Species Parafontaria crenata Shinohara, 1986 Parafontaria doenitzi (Karsch, 1880) Parafontaria erythrosoma (Takakuwa, 1942) Parafontaria falcifera (Verhoeff, 1936) Parafontaria ishiii Shinohara, 1986 Parafontaria koreana (Paik, 1963) Parafontaria laminata (Attems, 1909)Toshio Yoshida: The periodical millipede, Parafontaria laminata armigera. On: Global Soil Biodiversity. August 29, 2016Jacinta Bowler: Every 8 Years, Swarms of Millipedes Stop Trains in Japan. Scientists Finally Know Why. On: sciencealert. 13 January 2021 This species is poisonous.Mori, N., Kuwahara, Y., Yoshida, T., Nishida, N., 1995. Major defensive cyanogen from Parafontaria laminata armigera Verhoeff (Xystodesmidae : Polydesmida). Appl. Entomol. Zool. 30, 197–202 Parafontaria longa Shinohara, 1986 Parafontaria shiraiwaensis Shinohara, 1986 Parafontaria spathulata (Miyosi, 1951) Parafontaria takakuwai (Shinohara in Takashima & Shinohara, 1957) Parafontaria terminalis (Takakuwa, 1942) Parafontaria tokaiensis Tanabe, 2002 Parafontaria tonominea (Attems, 1899)
References