Chordeuma sylvestre
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > millipede > Millipede |
| Red List Status: | Vulnerable (Not Relevant) [VU(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Chordeuma sylvestre |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | C.L. Koch, 1847 |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Lee, 2015 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | VU, restricted to 2 locations in Cornwall but not collected recently |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Current status at Cornish sites is unknown |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | This species would not benefit from untargeted management |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Unknown |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Opportunistic - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | Can only be distinguished from C. proximum by examination of male gonopods so surveys must take place in March/April |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Targeted survey of Lydcott Wood and Trelill Wood and up to 5 other deciduous woodlands close (within 20km) to each of these known locations in first year of survey. If unsuccessful, survey 10 other nearby woods (within 20km) around each location in second year. If successful extend search further westwards into Cornwall and eastwards into Devon to 20 other woods in total in second year. Record presence or absence of C. proximum at each site as well as habitat features to provide data for action two.
Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists
Action type: Status survey/review
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 50 sites
High priority sites: Start with known locations at Lydcott Wood, Widegates and Trelill Wood, St Kew
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Autecological research to better characterise habitat requirements. Sufficient data is expected from action one to confirm and refine provisional view of habitat requirements. Assess possibility that competition with C. proximum may be limiting factor in distribution.
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: Start with known locations at Lydcott Wood, Widegates and Trelill Wood, St Kew
Comments: Data will be collected alongside survey in action one but repeat visits to at least some sites may be required
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Collect specimens from Cornish populations for analysis of mitochondrial DNA to compare with supposedly introduced Scottish populations and with the populations native to NW European coasts, especially Normandy. Use results to reassess native or introduced status of Cornish animals
Action targets: 1. Taxonomy established
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: Start with known locations at Lydcott Wood, Widegates and Trelill Wood, St Kew
Comments: Uncertain if barcode data already exists for any of European populations
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.