Myriapods of North Carolina
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Sole representative of Spirobolidae in NC
98 NC Records

Narceus americanus (Palisot de Beauvouis, 1817) - American Giant Millipede

Taxonomy
Class: Diplopoda (Millipedes)Order: Spirobolida Family: Spirobolidae Checklist Number: 524.000
Species Status: Narceus americanus is currently regarded as a species complex, composed of several genetic lineages, four of which have been identified in North Carolina (see Walker et al., 2009). Populations in the Southern Appalachians, in particular, appear to be the oldest group and are genetically quite distinct from those found over the rest of the state. Piedmont and Outer Coastal Plain populations also appear to represent well-separated haplotypes although they are closer to one another than they are to the Southern Appalachian clade. The identity of Narceus annularis now appears to be uncertain (see Filka and Shelley, 1980) and we have added the records for that species to the americanus complex.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, GBIF                                                                                 
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: "Common in moist humus and is occasionally found under the bark of decaying logs"" (Shelley, 1978). This species can be abundant in bottomland hardwoods and also occurs on mesic hardwood slopes."
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection:
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 Photo Gallery for Narceus americanus - American Giant Millipede

Photos: 17

Recorded by: R. Miller on 2024-08-09
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-05
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Sanford on 2021-09-27
Gates Co.
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Recorded by: C Tingley on 2021-08-05
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Summers on 2018-06-29
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2017-06-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: L. Appling on 2015-05-23
Watauga Co.
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Recorded by: K.Trotter on 2015-05-11
Stanly Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: j.wyche on 2013-08-27
Gates Co.
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Recorded by: J. Mickey on 2013-06-04
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Mickey on 2013-05-28
Wilkes Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2010-08-19
Beaufort Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof, M. Smith on 2009-09-10
Beaufort Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof, M. Smith on 2009-09-09
Beaufort Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Anderson on 2008-08-11
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: J. Shimel on 2006-04-25
New Hanover Co.
Comment: