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African Giant Black Millipede
Common Name: Giant Millipede
Order: Spirostreptida
Family: Spirostreptidae
Genus: Archispirostreptus
Species: gigas
Range & Habitat
Tropical and sub-tropical parts of western Africa. Tropical forests.
Reproduction & Growth
Adult millipedes attract mates by emitting pheromones to locate others of the same species. Some males rub their legs together (stridulation) to attract females. 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 (up to 2000) inside. The eggs will hatch in about three weeks. 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. Some millipedes can live up to 13 years.
Diet - Herbivores
In the Wild: Feed at night. Dead leaves and plants, algae, moss
In the Zoo: Small salads
General Information
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 of those segments has two pairs of legs. This distinguishes them from the centipede, which have only one pair of legs per segment. Although the name "millipede" means "1,000 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 seventh segment, used for transferring sperm. There are 10,000 different species found throughout the world. For protection, a millipede will roll into a ball, and secret an odorous liquid from glands on their bodies that can hurt or kill. Predators consist of scorpions, lizards, frogs and birds. Millipedes breathe through spiracles located on the sides of their bodies. They vary in size from one inch to one foot in length. The African Giant Black Millipede is one of the largest millipedes in the world, measuring from 7.5-11 inches.
In the Zoo
Currently we have 10 African Giant Millipedes.
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