What are millipedes?
Q: What are millipedes?
A: Millipedes are a type of arthropod that have segmented bodies and typically between 20 and over 100 segments.
Q: How many species of millipede have been identified?
A: So far, about 12,000 different species of millipede have been described with 10,000 identified. It is estimated that there are 80,000 total species of millipede on Earth.
Q: What do millipedes eat?
A: Millipedes are detrivores and primarily feed on decaying leaves and other dead plant matter. Some species may also be omnivores feeding on insects, earthworms or snails.
Q: Are millipedes poisonous?
A: Generally no, but some species may have glands capable of producing irritating fluids which can cause allergic reactions in some individuals as a defense mechanism against being eaten due to their slow movement.
Q: Are they considered pests?
A: In general no, although young seedlings in greenhouses can sometimes be eaten by these creatures and some species such as Xenobolus carnifex infest thatched roofs in India or swarm houses and farms causing damage. Additionally some millipedes have fangs which allow them to directly prey on plants.
Q: How do they defend themselves from predators?
A: The primary defense mechanism for most millipedes is to roll up into a spiral-shaped circle protecting their more delicate organs from being hurt by an armor-like skin. They can also secrete liquids that can burn their predators for protection while bristly millipedes lack armor-like skin instead having bristles (small spiky hairs) which protect them from insects by detaching when it goes through the body of an ant.
Q: Who studies millipedes?
A: Scientists who study millipeeds are called diplopodologists and the scientific study (like astronomy or biology) of them is known as diplopodology
