Natural Tunnel Miliped (Conotyla vista)

This species was described in 1971; it is only known from a single specimen that was found in one of the so-called Natural Tunnels, a sandstone formation in the Grandview State Park in Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA.

“The male holotype is the only known specimen. The type locality … is a ridge of heavily faulted, coarse sandstone overlooking the 1200 foot [365,76 m] deep gorge of the new River. The Natural Tunnels are roofed crevices formed by downslope creeping of sandstone blocks and are long enough to have totally dark areas and at least some troglophilic species (…), but C. vista shows no cave modifications. ….” [1]

The species has not been found since and is considered possibly extinct, however, this certainly is not a true cave species and might sooner or later be found in the vicinity of its original type locality. 

*********************

References:

[1] William A. Shear: The miliped family Conotylidae in North America, with a description of the new family Adritylidae (Diplopoda: Chordeumida). Bulletin of the Museum of comparative Zoology 141(2): 55-98. 1971

*********************

edited: 19.08.2022