Urocystis prolifer Villot, 1880 is an intestinal parasite of Sorex spp. In the Palaearctic. There are significant differences in the descriptions of both adults and stages of ontogenesis of U. prolifer as described by various authors. The experimental infection of intermediate hosts with cestodes has been conducted. An overview of the geographical distribution, infestation of the definitive hosts and the development of the metacestode stages of U. prolifer are presented. The cestode is characterized by an extensive geographic area in the Palaearctic, wide host specificity and very high rates of infection of its definitive host. Urocystis prolifer has been recorded mostly in the taiga and forest zones of Palaearctic. Fourteen species of Sorex were registered as the definitive host. Redescription of U. prolifer and an amended generic diagnosis are provided. A complete description of the ontogeny from oncosphere to fully developed metacestode is given. Features of development of the metacestode are an asexual larval reproduction, the absence of the anterior and posterior obturator valve in the cyst of the fully developed urocyst, as well as excretory bodies.

Millipede diversity in tropical regions, and in Mexico in particular, is still mostly unknown. A modest but recurrent source of new Mexican species is the colonization of exotic species, due to human activity. The invasive species Cylindrodesmus hirsutus Pocock, 1889 has spread from its area of origin in Indonesia or Melanesia and become a virtually pantropical species. Although long known from South and Central America, reports from the Caribbean are sparse and limited to some eastern islands and southern Central America. On 9 March 2016, two adult specimens were found on Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, in an area of medium semideciduous tropical forest. This paper comprises the first record of this species from Mexico and the northern Caribbean. Given the intense commercial activity in the region, the presence of more populations both in Cozumel Island and in the mainland coast is highly probable.

Residues like sewage sludge and vinasse have been reused as agricultural fertilizers, but they also present a potential to contaminate soils. Diplopods have been considered excellent bioindicators of soil contamination. In the present study, Rhinocricus padbergi were used to assess toxicity in samples of sewage sludge, biosolids, and sugarcane vinasse. The behavioral analysis, mortality rate, and histological, histochemical, and ultrastructural analyses of the midgut of diplopods were the parameters evaluated. Behaviorally, some diplopods avoided burying themselves after 30 days in soil with biosolid or vinasse. Besides, certain residue combinations were able to cause death of all individuals between 60 and 90 days of exposure. The main tissue responses were significant brush border thickening, induction of epithelial renovation, clustering of hemocytes, accumulation of cytoplasmic granules in hepatic cells, hepatic cells with heteropycnotic nuclei, and cytoplasmic degradation. Alterations were observed at various levels among treatments with different samples and exposure times. Ultrastructural analysis revealed elongation of microvilli coated with a layer of an amorphous substance, resulting in a thicker brush border as observed in the histological analysis. After 30 days of exposure, animals showed an accumulation of spherocrystals in hepatic cells and high absorption of substances, based on the elongation of microvilli. Results obtained in the chemical analysis and the behaviors observed in diplopods suggest that animals processed the residues. Therefore, caution should be exercised in the disposal of these residues in agriculture.

The hypothesis that the periods of dormancy previously described in the millipede Polydesmus angustus may be photoperiodically induced diapauses was tested experimentally. In this species, biennial individuals exhibit two successive periods of dormancy: aestivation in the penultimate stadium (stadium VII) and reproductive dormancy in the adults, which emerge in autumn. It was first established that the reproductive dormancy is not a thermally controlled state of quiescence. When adults emerging in autumn were kept at 16 °C under natural photoperiod, their reproduction was delayed for several months in comparison with adults emerging in spring at similar temperatures. This indicates that the reproductive dormancy begins with a period of diapause. Further experiments provided evidence of a photoperiodic induction of the adult diapause. When millipedes were reared under short day length (L:D 12:12 h) throughout their development, they required more time to reproduce than millipedes reared under long day length (L:D 16:8 h) at the same temperatures. Photoperiod influenced reproduction in females, but no significant effects were detected in adult males. On the other hand, stadium VII was markedly longer at L:D 16:8 h than at L:D 12:12 h in both sexes, which strongly suggests that aestivation is also induced by photoperiod. However, the effects on the duration of stadium VII varied among individuals, some of which showed no response to long days. This study is the first to document photoperiodic regulation of the life cycle in the class Diplopoda, a trait common in other classes of terrestrial arthropods.

Termites (Isoptera: Termidae), white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and millipedes (Myriapoda: Odontopygidae) are the major groups of soil pests that are widespread and of economic importance in groundnut production in sub-Saharan Africa. Other Coleopteran pests such as wireworms (Elateridae) and false wireworms (Tenebrionidae) are found to be of occasional importance. Farmers' cultural practices such as improper application of organic manure, leaving crop residues in farms, delay in planting and harvesting, and abiotic factors such as rainfall and soil texture also influence soil pest occurrence and damage. Groundnut farmers in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa seldom apply effective control measures against soil pests. This paper reviews the major soil pests of groundnuts and their damage, and discusses adopted control practices and their applicability in integrated pest management (IPM) modules, with an emphasis on the use of resistant groundnut varieties, cultural practices, botanicals and minimal application of synthetic insecticides.