Glomerida
| Glomerida Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| Glomeris sublimbata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Diplopoda |
| Subclass: | Chilognatha |
| Infraclass: | Pentazonia |
| Superorder: | Oniscomorpha |
| Order: | Glomerida Brandt, 1833 |
| Families | |
|
Glomeridae | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Plesiocerata Verhoeff, 1910 | |
Glomerida is an order of pill-millipedes found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. Also known as northern pill millipedes, they superficially resemble pill-bugs or woodlice, and can enroll into a protective ball. Adults in this order usually have twelve body segments (including the anal shield); adult females have 17 pairs of legs, and adult males have 19 leg pairs (including enlarged rear legs involved in mating). The order includes about 30 genera and at least 280 species, including Glomeris marginata, the common European pill-millipede. The order contains members in Europe, South-east Asia and the Americas from California to Guatemala. Although historically considered closely related with the similar sphaerotheriidans that also enroll, some DNA evidence suggest they may be more closely related to glomeridesmidans, a poorly known order that does not enroll.