Seasonal changes in habitat preferences of two closely related millipede species

The habitat preferences of two closely related millipede species, Centrobol us richardii and C. fulgidus, were investigated on three different seral st ages of a coastal dune forest successional sere north of Richards Bay, Sout h Africa. Fixed-width transects were used to survey millipedes in three hab itats of different ages. Habitat preference occurred on both inter- and int ra-site levels and was influenced by season. A habitat shift was recorded f or C. richardii, while C. fulgidus was dormant during the winter months, re flecting two different strategies used by these closely related species to meet their resource requirements. Successional changes previously reported are masked by these differential responses.