MILLIPEDE COMMUNITIES (Diplopoda) OF OAK-HORNBEAM ECOSYSTEMS (THE MALÉ KARPATY MTS, TRNAVSKÁ PAHORKATINA HILLS, SW SLOVAKIA)

Millipede communities were studied in ten oak-hornbeam forest localities in the central and northern part of the Malé Karpaty Mts and the Trnavská pahorkatina hills. The research was conducted during the years 1999-2002. Millipedes were sampled using a dry sieve method from the leaf litter within each locality. In total, 3,654 individuals belonging to 18 millipede species were recorded. The records of Julus curvicornis are of the highest faunistic importance. It is an endemic species of the West Carpathian region. The westernmost locality of its occurrence was found in the Malé Karpaty Mts. Influence of selected environmental factors on the structure of millipedes communities was discussed. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]