Millipede outbreaks in Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Several millipede outbreaks have been reported in Akwa Ibom State, southeastern Nigeria between 1990 and 2001. Studies which involved field surveys, oral interviews of farmers, on-farm and laboratory observations and field sampling in some reported locations of outbreaks were undertaken. Results showed that nine of the thirty-one Local Government Areas of the state were affected. All the arable crops on the farmland were destroyed particularly the cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz; Yam, Dioscorea rotundata Poir; Cocoyam, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott; Fluted Pumpkin, Telfairia occidentalis Hook; Melon, Colocynthis citrullus Mill, Maize, Zea mays L. and Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Studies further revealed that the outbreaks occurred under two different agroecologies namely, homestead farms and open farmlands. A recently found small-sized millipede species identified as Tibiomus species (Diplopoda: Odontopygidae) was involved in outbreaks in homestead farms. Three large-sized millipede species, two of which were identified as Spirostreptus assiniensis (Diplopoda: Spirostreptidae) and Peridontopyge species (Diplopoda: Odontopygidae) were involved in outbreaks in open farmlands. The third species, which rarely occurred in non-outbreak periods and was non-destructive to crops was not identified. The millipede outbreaks were sporadic and unpredictable.


Key words: Millipede Outbreaks; Tibiomus species Spirostreptus assiniensis; Peridontopyge species; Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Nigeria.


(Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2003 9(4): 435-444)