Myriapoda: a review of their status in Essex 195
Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus (Wood)
A large brown-black millepede which is usually found in calcareous soils under cultivation, but it
can be numerous in semi-natural calcareous grasslands (Gregory & Campbell 1996). The only recent
Essex records arc Grays Chalk Quarry (TQ607788) collected by Dr P. Kirby on 26 September 1984;
at grass roots in the author's garden at Grays (TQ625797) on 23 January and 8 March 1999 and
under a rotten log near Barling Pits (TQ9389) on 30 April 1999. Pre-1971 records are shown in the
1988 national atlas for TQ48, TQ69, TL70 and TL92.
Cylindroiulus punctatus (Leach)
A common species which is the most frequently
recorded British millipede. It is found under
bark and in dead wood as well as in slowly
decomposing leaf litter and humus. The species
is almost certainly to be found in suitable
habitat across most of the county.
Cylindroiulus latestriatus (Curtis)
This millipede is recorded for North Essex by the 1988 national atlas in TM23. The JNCC Recorder
software states that this is one of the commonest British millipedes, but it is rarely found away from
coastal districts and is scarce in the well covered county of Oxfordshire (Gregory & Campbell
1996). It occurs on fixed or semi-fixed dunes at the roots of marram grass, on the shore in the roots
of sea pink and other halophytes, most often in very sandy soil, but also in deciduous leaf litter
(Blower 1985). It seems likely that searches will relocate the species in Essex. Sites such as Dovercourt,
Walton Naze, Colne Point, East Mersea and several places in south-east Essex would be worth
investigation.
Cylindroiulus britannicus (Verhoeff)
This is a frequent dead wood species throughout Britain, typically found under the bark of old
waterside willow pollards, or within and beneath fallen rotting timber in woodlands (Gregory &
Campbell 1996). It is often associated with C. punctatus, Proteroiulus fuscus and Nemasoma varicorne
(Blower 1985). The author has recorded the species from Warley Place (TQ583909) on 12 May
1999 and this appears to be the only Essex record.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)