Species information
Scientific name: Riukiaria pugionifera
Japanese name: オキナワアマビコヤスデ
Chinese name: 沖繩琉球帶馬陸
English name: Riukiaria pugionifera
Origin: Okinawajima
Ecology and description
Riukiaria pugionifera is endemic to Okinawajima and belongs to the genus Riukiaria. It is 6–9 cm long and is the largest millipede on Okinawajima. Its body is mostly yellow to orange with black transverse bands, and the color and markings vary among individuals and localities.
It lives on the forest floor in northern Okinawajima and is often found among leaf litter or under decaying logs. It is most often seen walking on the forest floor in spring and autumn, and can also be found under leaf litter and decaying wood in winter.
Research on the genus Riukiaria on Okinawajima is still ongoing. Identification from appearance alone can be mistaken, and the shape of the male gonopods must be examined to identify the species. Riukiaria falcifera, described at the same time in 1936, was later synonymized with this species by Shinohara (1977), but different sources treat it differently.
References: Curious Okinawa, WEB Seibutsu Zukan, GreenBreeze, Small Neighbors’ World, Riukiaria taxonomic checklist (Zenodo)
Field photographs taken during our tours, with observation dates
This species is occasionally seen during our 【Forest Walk】 or 【Herping】 tours.
