Archispirostreptus gigas

Taxobox | name = "Archispirostreptus gigas"


image_width = 240px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Myriapoda
classis = Diplopoda
ordo = Julida
familia = Spirostreptidae
genus = "Archispirostreptus"
species = "A. gigas"
binomial = "Archispirostreptus gigas"
binomial_authority = (Peters, 1855)

"Archispirostreptus gigas", the giant African millipede, is one of the largest of the millipedes, growing up to 11 in (28 cm) in length. It lives in tropical and subtropical Africa, in rotting plant life or moist earth, and usually avoids light. It is black in colour, and is often kept as a pet.

Physical Characteristics

Millipedes do not actually have a thousand legs - they usually have between 100-400 (2 sets of legs per body segment). Each time they molt, they add more segments and therefore more legs. Male millipedes have specialized legs used for fertilization on the seventh body segment called gonopods. These appendages look different than the other legs as they have grasping claws and are often carried tucked underneath the body. These creatures weigh around 100g.Millipedes are in a phylum called arthropods. Arthropods are a large group of animals with jointed legs and no backbone. More than three-fourths of all animals are arthropods. Centipedes and millipedes are arthropods too. Millipedes usually have long wormlike bodies that measure 0.08 to 11.8 inches (2 to 300 millimeters) in length. These creatures weigh around 100 grams. Most millipedes are brownish, blackish, or dark greenish, but many are pale or pinkish. Others are brightly marked with yellow or red. The head has two pairs of jaws. The eyes, if they have any at all, are simple and have only one lens each. The antennas are short and seven-segmented. The usually stiff bodies of millipedes are either flattened, rounded, or dome-shaped. Adults have anywhere from eleven pairs (twenty-two legs) to 375 pairs (750 legs) of legs. Millipedes have segmented bodies. Their body is composed of 20 to more than 100 segments. Each time they molt, they add more segments and therefore more legs. Two pairs of legs attach to most of their body segments. The word millipede means thousand-footed, but no millipede has as many as 1,000 feet. Rare specimens of some species have been found with more than 700 legs. Males and females look very similar to one another, but males usually have longer legs. The legs of millipedes are attached directly underneath the body and are only slightly visible on the sides, if at all. This arrangement gives them the power they need for burrowing and allows them to get into narrow spaces without breaking off legs. Millipedes are harmless; they do not feed upon building structures or furnishings and they can not bite or sting. Millipedes can not reproduce indoors. All millipedes found inside wandered in by mistake. There are about 10,000 species of millipedes described.

Habitat and Environment Millipedes usually live in dark damp habitats, but some species prefer dry habitats and live in deserts. They live in dark, damp places, under stones and rotting logs.Most species live under leaf litter, woodpiles, and stones. Soil dwellers are usually found in the top inch or two of soil. A few species climb trees. Although many millipedes are active at night, pill millipedes, are usually active during the day. Millipedes normally live in rotting leaves and wood and other kinds of moist decaying plant matter. Generally, their role is a beneficial one in helping to break down dead plant matter. However, when they become numerous, they may damage sprouting seeds, seedlings, or strawberries and other ripening fruits in contact with the ground. Sometimes individual millipedes wander from their moist living places into homes, but they usually die quickly because of the dry conditions and lack of food. Occasionally, large numbers of millipedes migrate, often uphill, as their food supply varies or their living places become either too wet or too dry. Millipedes are found in all temperate and tropical regions of the world including caves, deserts, alpine zones, tree canopies and along shorelines. They rest and hide among leaf fall, soil, or rotting logs; most species of millipedes are nocturnally active. Sometimes on damp days colorful millipedes can be spotted above the ground moving between layers of decaying plant material and leaf litter. In wooded areas millipedes live in piles of leaf litter. In dry weather they will migrate out of the litter piles as the leaves dry, and may enter buildings in large numbers. Millipedes are attracted to dark, cool, moist environments, usually going unnoticed in the summer due to their nocturnal habits and tendency to move out. They cannot tolerate water-saturated soil, which forces them to the surface and higher ground. Millipedes, related to lobsters, crayfish and shrimp, require moist habitats and areas of high humidity. Millipedes live in organic matter such as leaves, mulch, and piles of wood or wood chips. They can be found under stones, flower pots, boards or similar debris where there is a lot of moisture. Occasionally after rains or during cold weather, large numbers of millipedes may migrate into buildings. They can climb foundation walls and enter homes through any small opening.

Life Cycle and DefensesThe first stage of a millipede is in the egg. It is laid in a protective casing with a tiny embryo in the center. The embryo is a strong brick red color. As it grows, it loses this red color and turns milky white. After a few weeks it hatches out. The young hatches by either eating or pushing its way out of the ball; most likely eating, because it would then provide it with nutrients. The baby will feed its self from the time it is born till death. It will feed of f of any veggies that are around, the leaf litter and plants, and also rotting bark. They are born with 7 segments, and only three pairs of legs, on the first few segments. As they grow, legs and segments are added, and the milky-white, translucent color disappears, darkening as the exoskeleton hardens. For the first few months to a year , energy is devoted mostly to growth. When a millipede molts, the old shell of the exoskeleton is shed, and the new shell is exposed. Millipedes are more vulnerable, and so should not be disturbed if possible. Millipedes can live anywhere from 1-10 years; around 3-5 seems to be the average. Once they start to die from old age, they become slower and sleep more, to the point that they will hardly move around at all; except to feed, which is also done less. Growth will stop, as they will have reached adult size by this point. When a millipede dies it will start to break down because the tiny organisms living around it will eat it. The legs will be eaten first; sometimes, the dead adult may even be feeding the next generation. The exoskeleton will not decompose for a long time.

Due to their lack of speed and their inability to bite or sting, millipedes' primary defense mechanism is to curl into a tight coil — protecting their delicate legs inside an armored body exterior. While they seem harmless, at the same time they can secrete a chemical substance. This can kill many small species. Many species also emit poisonous liquid secretions gas through microscopic pores along the sides of their bodies as a secondary defense. Some of these substances are harmful and can burn the exoskeleton of ants and other insect predators, and the skin and eyes of larger predators.Food Habits

They feed on damp and decaying vegetable matter and are beneficial as "recyclers" of organic matter. Most millipedes eat decaying leaves and other dead plant matter, moisturizing the food with secretions and then scraping it in with the jaws Millipedes are not poisonous, but many species have certain glands capable of producing irritating fluids which may produce allergic reactions. A few millipede species are capable of squirting these fluids over a distance of several inches. Millipedes feed primarily on decaying organic matter, but may attack roots and leaves of seedling plants. Greenhouses are infested by millipedes more often than other areas where plants are grown. Once a greenhouse becomes infested, control measures usually are necessary.

Life Cycle

In general, giant millipedes have an expected lifespan of about 7-10 years. They can be handled, and are quite docile and slow moving. Giant millipedes have two main modes of defense if they feel threatened: curling into a tight spiral exposing only the hard exoskeleton, and secretion of an irritating liquid from pores on their body. This liquid can be harmful if introduced into the eyes or mouth. Some individuals are more sensitive to the liquid than others, and some species are more toxic than others.

African Millipedes as Pets

There are a variety of millipedes kept as pets that are referred to as giant millipedes or giant African millipedes (e.g. Archispirostreptus spp, Scaphiostreptus spp). There are several species available, but there is often confusion over the exact species. Species identification can be quite difficult in living specimens and there appears to be some dispute over the correct scientific names of some millipedes. However, while there is some variation in appearance, the giant millipedes are largely similar in their characteristics and care.

Millipedes are non-territorial and may be kept in terrariums with other specimens of the same species. Millipedes breed quite readily in captivity and it is not uncommon for collections that include male and female examples to do so. These arthropods should be fed a variety of fruits and vegetables, the preferred being cucumbers, when kept in captivity. If you mist the terrarium daily, a water dish need not be provided. The best substrate would probably be peat moss, for they like to burrow when shedding.

References

*cite web |url=http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/centipedes/a/millipedes.htm|title=Giant African millipede |publisher=Oakland Zoo |accessdate=2007-07-08
*cite web |url=http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/centipedes/a/millipedes.htm|title=Giant African millipede |publisher=Exotic Pets |accessdate=2007-08-13