Haasea fonticulorum ( Verhoeff, 1910 )

Kime, Richard Desmond & Enghoff, Henrik, 2021, Atlas of European millipedes 3: Order Chordeumatida (Class Diplopoda), European Journal of Taxonomy 769, pp. 1-244 : 107

369. Haasea fonticulorum ( Verhoeff, 1910)

Fig. 2E

Distribution

AT, CH, HR, IT-ITA, SI.

Habitat

Verhoeff (1910) stated he found this species in a very wet, fibrous moss sprinkled with spring-water. A very unusual habitat for millipedes after which he named the new species ( fonticulus = little fountain or spring). Subsequently found in forests, dwarf bush vegetation grassland, screes and periglacial areas. From 240–2830 m a.s.l. in Switzerland. Meyer (1979) studied the ecology of H. fonticulorum at 2050 m a.s.l. in Tyrol, Austria and found that the lifecycle spans three years. See also caption to Fig. 2 .

Figures

Fig. 2. A selection of European species of Chordeumatida C.L. Koch, 1847, various families. A. Halleinosoma noricum Verhoeff, 1913 (Trachygonidae Cook, 1896). B. Syngonopodium aceris Verhoeff, 1913 (Attemsiidae Verhoeff, 1899). C. Xylophageuma zschokkei Bigler, 1912 (Haaseidae Attems, 1899), in copula. D. Haplogona oculodistincta (Verhoeff, 1893) (Verhoeffiidae Verhoeff, 1899), in copula. E. Haasea fonticulorum (Verhoeff, 1910) (Haaseidae), in copula. Jörg Spelda has pointed out that on Figs 2C and 2E, both showing copulation in species of Haaseidae, the female is seen to be partially covered in a fine web (most evident in Fig. 2E), probably produced by the male’s spinning glands and perhaps serving to ‘strap down’ the female to the ground. Photo credits: Jörg Spelda.