Siphonophorida on Madagascar and Mauritius

The first records of the colobognathan millipede order Siphonophorida from Madagascar and Mauritius are presented. Specimens representing both families of the order, Siphonophoridae and Siphonorhinidae, were discovered on Madagascar. The specimens were collected from 18 rainforest and montane rainforest localities using primarily the Winkler or Berlese extraction methods. The limited number of  specimens (mostly less than 5) available from each site and the difficult taxonomic state of the order prevented the naming of any of the specimens. Specimens from one locality could be studied in more detail using SEM, and were tentatively determined as members of the Asian genus Siphonorhinus Pocock, 1894, presently known only from Asia. Four additional Siphonophorida samples representing at least two different species came from three localities on Mauritius, providing the first record of the order from the island. All Siphonophorida specimens should be carefully examined before taxonomic description attempts, as some might represent widespread tropical tramps.