Polydesmus complanatus (Linnaeus, 1761)

Zuev, R. V., Proskura, E. D. & Evsyukov, A. P., 2023, New records of millipedes (Diplopoda) from the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, northern Caucasus, Russia, Russian Entomological Journal 32 (3), pp. 360-368 : 362

Polydesmus complanatus (Linnaeus, 1761)

Figs 1–5.

MATERIAL. 2 ♀♀ ( ZMS), Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Cherkessk, «Zelenyi ostrov» Park, Kuban River floodplain, Salix & Populus forest, 500 m a.s.l., 17.VII.2022; 2 ♂♂ ( ZMS), Cherkessk, forest strip along Abazinka River, Fraxinus & Robinia , 500 m a.s.l., 44º11′45′′N, 42º3′38′′E, 16.VII.2022; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( ZMS), same place, 19.VIII.2022, all R. V. Zuev & E.D. Proskura leg.

REMARKS. A widespread eurytopic species known from Turkey, Eastern and Northern Europe, including the central European part of Russia [ Kime, Enghoff, 2011]. Previously record- ed by Muralewicz [1907, 1911, 1927] from Abkhazia and North Ossetia, but this information is actually considered erroneous [ Golovatch et al., 2016]. This species is thus new to the entire Caucasian fauna, having been found only in purely anthropogenic habitats and apparently reflecting a recent introduction.

A female laying eggs and building an earthy capsule around the clutch was found in August 2022 (Fig. 1). Building such “nests” is typical of other polydesmidans species [ Minelli, Michalik, 2015].