学生による多足類論文の出版「Centipedes and millipedes under the snow in eastern and northern Japan」

　大学院D3の開澤菜月さん（日本学術振興会特別研究員DC1）が執筆した下記論文が出版されました。冬季に積雪下で活動するムカデ類とヤスデ類に関する論文です。この論文は帯広畜産大学と弘前大学の共同研究の成果です。別刷りPDFが必要な方はご連絡ください。 

書誌情報

Hirakizawa, N., Nakamura, T., and Yamauchi, T. (2026) Centipedes and millipedes under the snow in eastern and northern Japan. Edaphologia, 118: 1-16.

要約: 

The subnivean microhabitat (the air space between the ground and snow) is dark, relatively warm, humid, and thermally stable throughout winter, and protects organisms from wind and lethal temperatures. Although the winter activity of invertebrates has been studied in North America, Europe, and parts of northeast China, little is known about centipedes and millipedes under the snow in Japan. To clarify their winter activity, we set up pitfall traps at 11 sites with heavy snowfall in the cold regions of eastern and northern Japan. Ten pitfall traps were set up at each study site from October to April in 2017–2020 (two winter seasons at one site). A total of 120 traps were set, and centipedes and millipedes were collected from 94 traps that were covered with snow. As a result, 373 centipedes (three orders, six families), and 385 millipedes (four orders, seven families) were collected, indicating their activity under snow-covered conditions. The activity under snow cover was firstly recorded in two orders, six families, and three genera of centipedes and millipedes. In this study, we compared proportions and average numbers of individual centipedes and millipedes collected before and during snow cover periods at nine study sites, where data were available for both periods. These proportions differ at the order level. The average number of collected individuals decreased significantly during snow cover for the family Henicopidae and order Polydesmida. However, the average numbers of Schendylidae, Lithobiidae, Diplomaragnidae, and Conotylidae, which were dominant under snow cover, did not change. This suggests that centipedes and millipedes belonging to the latter four families are tolerant of low temperatures and remain active under snow cover, providing new insights into the winter ecology of centipedes and millipedes in eastern and northern Japan.

　3月18日に弘前大学と帯広畜産大学の共同で、本研究に関するプレス発表が行われました。
以下のURLより内容をご覧いただけます。

https://www.hirosaki-u.ac.jp/topics/112333/

https://www.obihiro.ac.jp/news/74935