Diplopoda
No. of jars: 2794
No. of species: 1060
Types: 517
Millipedes are a diverse group of arthropods with more than 13.000 described species. Most millipedes are soil- and litter-dwelling detritivores that eat decaying leaves and plants. They are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments and belong to the oldest known land animals, having a fossil record that goes back to the Silurian. The LIB collection is extensive and comprises 1060 species of which more than 500 are represented by types. Most species were described by pioneering taxonomic authorities Karl Graf von Attems and Karl Wilhelm Verhoeff in the early 20th century. This collection comprises almost 3000 jars of specimens stored in ethanol. It is one of the largest and most important millipede collections in Europe.
To the catalogues:
- Weidner, H., 1960: Die Entomologischen Sammlungen des Zoologischen Staatsinstituts und Zoologischen Museums Hamburg, III. Teil, Chilopoda und Progoneata. - Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst.,58: 57-104. [ PDF ]
- Rack, G., 1974: Die Entomologischen Sammlungen des Zoologischen Instituts und Zoologischen Museums der Universität Hamburg, III. Teil (Nachtrag), Chilopoda und Progoneata. - Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst., 70: 105-118. [ PDF ]