Seven new giant pill-millipede species and numerous new records of the genus Zoosphaerium from Madagascar (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae)

Seven new species of giant pill-millipedes, belonging to the genus Zoosphaerium, have been discovered in Madagascar's Atsinanana rainforests. These include Z. nigrum, Z. silens, Z. ambatovaky, Z. beanka, Z. voahangy, Z. masoala, and Z. spinopiligerum, each described using detailed drawings and scanning electron microscopy, with genetic barcoding of the COI gene confirming six of them. The study also provides new locality data for 11 known species, expanding their distribution records. Notably, Z. ambatovaky from Ambatovaky's isolated lowland rainforest is flagged as a conservation priority due to habitat loss from slash-and-burn agriculture. The research updates identification keys for various species-groups and highlights the biodiversity richness of Madagascar's rainforests, with potential implications for their preservation.

Wesener, T., & Sagorny, C. (2021). Seven new giant pill-millipede species and numerous new records of the genus Zoosphaerium from Madagascar (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae). European Journal of Taxonomy, 758, 1–48. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.758.1423