Diplopoda

Millipedes

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Diplopoda

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Apheloria
Polyxenus lagurus
Polyxenus lagurus
Polyxenus lagurus
Thalassisobates littoralis (Silvestri, 1903)
Tachypodoiulus-niger
Tachypodoiulus-niger
Tachypodoiulus-niger
Tachypodoiulus-niger

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Table of Contents

General Description

GeneralDescription

Source and Additional Information
Supplier
Animal Diversity Web external link
Copyright
©1995-2008, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors. Some rights reserved external link
Author
Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan
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Citation
Myers, P. 2001. "Diplopoda" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed October 25, 2009 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Diplopoda.html. 

   

Like centipedes, millipedes have bodies that are made up of numerous segments. The first four thoracic segments each bear a single pair of legs, but the following abdominal segments all have two pairs. Millipedes lack poisonous fangs and do not bite; rather, to discourage predators they roll into a defensive ball and many emit poisonous or foul-smelling substances.

 

Most of the approximately 8000 species of millipedes are herbivores or scavengers, living primarily on decaying plant and animal matter in moist microhabitats. Some species are adept and powerful burrowers. Like centipedes, female millipedes lay eggs in nests, which are often carefully guarded. Newly hatched millipedes usually have only 3 pairs of legs, adding legs and body segments with each molt as they grow.

 
 

References:

 
 
     
  • Hickman, C.P. and L. S. Roberts. 1994. Animal Diversity. Wm. C. Brown, Dubuque, IA.
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  • Brusca, R. C., and G. J. Brusca. Invertebrates. 1990. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.
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  • Pearse, V., J. Pearse, M. Buchsbaum, and R. Buchsbaum. 1987. Living Invertebrates. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Palo Alto, Ca.
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Many legs provide thrust for burrowing: millipede

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AskNature external link
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©2008-2009, The Biomimicry Institute. Some rights reserved external link
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The Biomimicry Institute
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Source URL
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Citation

 

The many short legs of a millipede provide thrust for burrowing as the leg movements follow a wave along the body.

     
  "A millipede advances along a twig. Although renowned for the number of their legs, even the longest millipedes have only about 680 legs, and most species have far fewer. You might expect that an animal with so many legs would move very fast, but the millipede's legs are so short and its fat body so close to the ground that its legs take only short strides at a time. Nevertheless, they can deliver considerable thrust, and millipedes are strong enough to burrow into the ground very efficiently…The leg movement of the millipede occurs in a wave along the body: certain groups of legs are moving forwards as others are thrusting backwards. At any given time there are always some legs in contact with the ground at intervals along its body." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:45)

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References
  • Foy, Sally; Oxford Scientific Films. 1982. The Grand Design: Form and Colour in Animals. Lingfield, Surrey, U.K.: BLA Publishing Limited for J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd, Aldine House, London. 238 p.
"Diplopoda". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/348". Accessed 19 Mar 2010.