Trans-segmental serial colour patterns in millipedes and their developmental interpretation (Diplopoda)

Trans-segmental serial colour patterns, i.e., colour patterns consisting of repeated elements, each of which covers several diplosegments / body rings, are described from several millipede taxa: Centrobolus vastus (Attems, 1934) var. sexfasciatus Lawrence, 1967 (Spirobolida: Pachybolidae), Sagmatostreptus strongylopygus (Attems, 1950) (Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae), and several groups of the order Platydesmida. The occurrence of similar patterns in Siphonocryptus zigzag Enghoff, 2010 (Siphonocryptida, Siphonocryptidae) and unidentified species of the order Chordeumatida is recorded. The patterns are shown in most cases to correlate with postembryonic growth, anamorphosis, i.e., each pattern elements corresponds to a set of diplosegments added during a moult.