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Is there correlation between photophobia and troglomorphism in Neotropical cave millipedes (Spirostreptida, Pseudonannolenidae)?

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Abstract

Absence of light, typical of the subterranean environment can lead to the loss of synchronizers of physiological and behavioral activities, mainly those related to photoperiods and light perception. Cave-dwelling species present phototactic responses that vary from photonegative to photopositive ones. There are few studies focusing on reaction to light in millipedes and the most studied species are considered photophobic. In this study, we analyzed the phototactic response of cave-dwelling and epigean millipedes of the genus Pseudonannolene (Spirostreptida, Pseudonannolenidae). For this, the chamber choice method was used. We related the phototatic reactions to morphological characters that indicate troglomorphisms (e.g., eyes and melanic pigmentation). The eight-studied operational taxonomic unit (OTU) showed photophobic reaction to all light intensities tested (150, 500 and 1000 lx) and photophobia can be considered a plesiomorphic character in the group. The morphological analysis showed that the light response is negatively correlated to the number of ommatidia and ocular area, that is, the larger the area and the number of ommatidia, the more negative is the light response (photonegative), suggesting that the eyes are the main sensory organs in the perception of light and, apparently, the integument of Pseudonannolene is not related to light sensitivity, opposite to that observed for other millipede species.

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Acknowledgements

We specially thank Jonas E. Gallão, Diego M. von Schimonsky and Camile S. Fernandes for providing part of material studied here and for information on localities, to Ramiro H. dos Santos and Fabiano P. de Jesus for assistance in field; Camile S. Fernandes, Tamires Zepon and Diego M. von Schimonsky for suggestions on the work; to Carmem Fontanetti, Amazonas Chagas-Jr and Marcelo A. Fernandes, for criptics; to Angélica Maria Penteado Martins Dias, coordinator of National Institute of Science and Technology of the Hymenoptera Parasitoids from Brazilian Southeast Region, INCT Hympar Sudeste (in Portuguese)—FAPESP #2008/57949-4 and CNPq # 573802/2008-4, for stereomicroscope use; to Luciana B. R. Fernandes, for images obtained through the stereomicroscope; to Rodrigo V. Mello for editing the images; to Diego M. von Schimonsky for map production; to Bianca Rantin for helping with the English; to International Paper (Rafael Silva and Miguel Magela) for support and access to caves of Altinópolis. We also thank ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação à Biodiversidade) for collection license (28992-7), to PPG-ERN (Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais—UFSCar) for infrastructure to develop this work, to CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) for Master scholarship to JSG (132457/2015-6) and partial financing to MEB (303715/2011-1), and to FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) for partial financing to MEB (2010/08459-4 and 2008/05678-7).

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  1. Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Via Washington Luís, km 235, Caixa Postal 676, São Carlos, SP, CEP: 13565-905, Brazil

    Jéssica Scaglione Gallo & Maria Elina Bichuette

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  1. Jéssica Scaglione Gallo
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Correspondence to Jéssica Scaglione Gallo.

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All experiments conducted in this study were in accordance with Brazilian laws involving invertebrates. The authorisation for keeping these invertebrates alive was part of our scientific collector’s permit granted by ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação à Biodiversidade) number 28992-7.

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Gallo, J.S., Bichuette, M.E. Is there correlation between photophobia and troglomorphism in Neotropical cave millipedes (Spirostreptida, Pseudonannolenidae)?. Zoomorphology 137, 273–289 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-017-0389-0

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