DIPLOPODA (millipedes) > JULIDA (cylindrical or snake millipedes) > Julidae

Cylindroiulus londinensis is a large and robust species that probably averages somewhere around 30-35mm long when mature, but may well grow to as much as 48mm with a diameter of 4mm. They are typically very dark brown, almost black in colour with a projecting club-shaped telson that is only present in this species and the smaller and much paler Cylindroiulus punctatus. Purely from a general appearance point of view, it is most likely to be confused with Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus except that species is generally smaller and, importantly, lacks a projecting telson.

At the time of writing, there are very few confirmed records for this species and none so far from Dorset, which is surprising given that I've seen it in woodland as well as in the garden. I shall submit details for mine so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for them to show on the national database. The records that are there at present are very scattered and, as such, the species is regarded as uncommon and nationally scarce. Whilst it has been recorded most frequently from woodland, the low number of sightings don't necessarily reflect that it's primarily a woodland species as they have been encountered in other habitats including gardens, but not in strongly synanthropic sites. It has not yet been seen on heath or moorland, or in wetland environments.