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Description:
The African Giant Millipede is one of the world’s largest
millipedes. It can grow up to 11 inches long, and can be as thick around
as a person’s thumb. It is covered with a tough black cuticle. Like
other millipedes and centipedes, its body is divided into many segments.
Each segment has 2 pairs of legs. This distinguishes them from the
centipedes, which have only one pair of legs per segment. Although the
name “millipede” means “1000 feet”, the adults of most species probably
have only 200-300. Millipedes have a pair of antennae, and mandibles
(jaws) that resemble those of insects. They have two clusters of simple
eyes, which probably only detect light and dark. Males and females look
similar, but males have a pair of specialized legs on the 7th
segment, used for transferring sperm.
Range:
Tropical and sub-tropical parts of western Africa
Habitat:
Tropical forests
Diet:
Millipedes are detritivores – they eat decaying plant
material. In the zoo, our millipedes eat apples, cucumbers, kale, and
other produce, always waiting until their meal starts to decay before
eating it. They also eat small pieces of chalk, which provides important
minerals.
Life Cycle:
During breeding, males use a modified pair of legs to transfer
sperm to the female. The female builds a chamber under the soil, using
dung to form the walls, and lays her eggs inside. The juvenile millipedes
are called neonates. They are white, and have only a few body segments
and three pairs of legs. The neonates go through many molts, adding
segments and legs as they grow. Their color darkens gradually to black.
Did You Know?
·
Millipedes are one of the world’s foremost decomposers.
They help to turn decaying plant material into compost or other matter
more usable by other plants and animals.
·
African Giant Millipedes spend most of their time in
underground burrows and chambers, where sight is not important. Instead,
they use antennae detect scents and touch, and the feet and mouthparts may
be used for similar purposes.
·
They breathe through spiracles, small pores along the sides
of the body segments. The spiracles cannot be closed, and water loss can
be a problem. For this reason, they are only found in humid climates, and
they are active at night when there is less danger of drying out.
·
If disturbed, they curl up into a spiral, with the head and
legs tucked inside. They can also secrete a defensive liquid, composed
mostly of quinines and hydrochloric acid, which discourages most birds and
other predators from eating them.
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