Brachyiulus pusillus (Leach, 1814)

Kime, Richard Desmond & Enghoff, Henrik, 2017, Atlas of European millipedes 2: Order Julida (Class Diplopoda), European Journal of Taxonomy 346, pp. 1-299 : 47

90. Brachyiulus pusillus (Leach, 1814)

Iulus pusillus Leach, 1814 .

Brachyiulus littoralis Verhoeff, 1898 .

Distribution

AL, AT, BA, BE, CH, DE, DK-DEN, EE, ES-CNY, ES-SPA, FR-FRA, GB-CI, GB-GRB, GB-NI, GR- GRC, HR, IE, IT-ITA, LT, LU, MC, MN, NL, PL, PT-AZO, PT-MDR, RU-KGD, SE. – Introduced into Tunisia, South Africa, Australia and North America,

Habitat

Often in damp areas near watercourses, meadows, marshes, marshy woodland and farmland. On afforested colliery spoil heaps with garden refuse ( Decker & Hannig 2010). In Western Europe it is not usually common in woodland, much more associated with arable land and pastures. It is reputed to favour heavy soils and is probably able to withstand inundation ( Jeekel & Brugge 2001). Numbers may be found in damp buildings. In the north of its range it is synanthropic.

Remarks

Brachyiulus pusillus adults are visible throughout the year, by far most frequently in the spring when they breed. The species has been widely dispersed by human activity, occurring in Australasia, South Africa, North and South America and on many of the Atlantic Islands ( Blower 1985; Lee 2006).

The Greek specimens from the Ionian area were named as the variety ionica by Strasser (1974).