Millipedes

Millipedes

What are millipedes?

Millipedes belong to the myriapod invertebrate group. As a myriapod, millipedes have segmented bodies, many legs, antennae, and breathing holes called spiracles. Unlike centipedes, millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment. They are in the class Diplopoda. 'Di' means two and 'pod' means feet – two feet per segment. Millipedes have an exoskeleton, meaning outer skeleton, like a shell.

Do millipedes have 1000 legs?

Although the name millipede means 1000-footed, no millipede was known to have 1000 legs until 2021. In that year  a millipede found in Western Australia belonging to the species Eumillipes persephone, was found to have a total of 1306 legs! This is more than any other animal on earth.

What are the external features of a millipede?

The body of a millipede is divided into two parts - the head and the trunk.

The head of a millipede has eyes, antennae and chewing mouthparts. The trunk of a millipede is made up of rounded segments, or ‘body rings’. Each body ring, except for a few behind the head and one or more at the tail end, has two pairs of legs attached to it.

Many species of millipede have ‘ozopores’ along the sides of their body rings. These ozopores produced toxic chemicals which defend against predators or other threatening animals. These chemicals are not toxic to humans but may leave a stain.

What is the difference between millipedes and centipedes?

Millipedes are often confused with centipedes although there are a number of differences. Millipedes are not venomous and have two pairs of legs per body segment whereas centipedes usually inject venom with their bite and have only one pair of legs per body segment.

Where do millipedes live?

Millipedes are found in moist areas, especially under logs and in leaf litter.

What do millipedes eat?

Millipedes are herbivores feeding on the soft parts of plants. Millipedes are also decomposers, meaning they eat old decaying leaves.

What role do millipedes play in the ecosystem?

Because of their diet millipedes are important in cleaning up the forest floor, recycling nutrients and improving the soil for plant growth.

How do millipedes reproduce and grow?

Millipedes start their life cycle as eggs laid on moist soil or in nests. Depending on the species, female millipedes can lay from 10 to 300 eggs at a time. Some species protect their eggs with silk cocoons.

In most millipede species the female will abandon her eggs once they are laid. The eggs take a few weeks to hatch.

Millipedes usually only have three pairs of legs when they hatch and four body rings without legs. 

As they have a tough exoskeleton, millipedes can only grow by moulting. This process involves forming a new exoskeleton under an old one which splits into two and is shed off the body. The newer larger exoskeleton hardens over time. Millipedes add more segments and legs each time they moult. Millipedes continue to moult until they are able to reproduce.

Millipedes may live from one to 10 years, depending on species.

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