Parafontariinae
| Parafontaria | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Parafontaria tonominea | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Diplopoda |
| Order: | Polydesmida |
| Family: | Xystodesmidae |
| Subfamily: |
Parafontariinae Hoffman, 1978 |
| Genus: |
Parafontaria Verhoeff, 1936 |
| Species | |
|
See text |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Japonaria Attems, 1938 |
|
See text
Japonaria Attems, 1938
Grayaria Chamberlin, 1943
Parafontaria is a genus of "flat-backed" millipedes (order Polydesmida) consisting of 13 species native to Japan, where they are known as train millipedes. Some species exhibit periodical swarming behavior during which large numbers of individuals congregate and can sometimes slow or derail trains when they occur on tracks. Individuals vary from around 3.5 to 6 cm (1.4 to 2.4 in) as adults, and feed on leaf litter as well as soil, making them comparable to earthworms in facilitating decomposition and soil nutrient cycling.
...
Wikipedia