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American Giant Millipede
Large, cylindrical millipede that was 8 cm long! This species can grow to be about twice as large (10cm) as any other millipede that lives in North America. They curl up into a spiral when threatened. They have two pairs of legs on most body segments, and are gray/black with red lines on the edge of each segment. Millipedes have spiracles on their body segments, which are connected both to their respiratory systems and to pairs of ozadenes (stink glands). These ozadenes can release noxious substances, which may cause serious chemical burns. However. unlike many other millipedes, the North American Millipede doesn't release hydrogen cyanide. They do however, excrete a substance that causes a temporary discoloration of the skin. They do not bite, and their only defense is their secretions.
"Narceus americanus" is a large millipede of eastern North America. Common names include American giant millipede, worm millipede, and iron worm. It inhabits the eastern seaboard of North America west to Georgetown, Texas, north of the Ottine swamps.
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Millipedes are arthropods, but they are not insects. Insects have six legs, while millipedes clearly have many more than that. How many legs, exactly? It would be logical to assume they have 1,000 legs since the prefix “milli-” means 1,000 and because millipedes have the nickname “thousand-leggers”. But, such an assumption would be wrong. Millipedes have 24 -750 legs, with most having fewer than 100 legs. No known species of millipedes have 1,000 legs. A guess as to why they are called MILLIpedes is that some scientist who was naming these creatures said, “Whoa, they have a lot of legs…probably like a thousand!”
There are more than 10,000 species of millipedes on Earth. They have two pairs of legs per body segment and are mostly detritivores, which means they feed on decomposing vegetation, organic matter, and feces. They are fantastic recyclers and are important decomposers. Millipedes are often confused with centipedes. But, centipedes have fewer legs (only one pair per segment) and are carnivores.
The American giant millipede (Narceus americanus) grows to be approximately twice as large as any other millipede that lives in North America! It can reach lengths of 10 cm (4 in)! Unlike many other millipedes, the American giant millipede doesn't release hydrogen cyanide. They do not bite; and, when threatened, their only defense is to curl up and release a noxious liquid, which can irritate your skin. {Spotted in Connecticut, USA by JungleDragon moderator, Christine Young} #JungleDragon #millipede #Americangiantmillipede #Narceusamericanus
Christine enthusiastically takes photos of anything and everything in nature. To see more of her photos:
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https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife Posted 4 years ago
Posted 4 years ago