Millipedes

Mulch munchers

Millipedes, which are “looked down upon”, contribute to conservation by breaking down wood and leaves and increasing soil mineralisation. They also can be a boon to farmers in search of alternatives to chemicals.

A Spirobolid bulldozer millipede, Eucentrobolus maindroni, from the southern Western Ghats region.Photo: Geetha Iyer

1/24

Bulldozer millipede with blue-green legs from the Eastern Ghats.Photo: Geetha Iyer

2/24

A giant pill millipede of the order Sphaerotheriida from southern Western Ghats. Photo: Geetha Iyer

3/24

Giant pill millipede beginning to open.Photo: Geetha Iyer

4/24

Giant millipede of the family Zephroniidae from north-eastern India. Pill millipedes roll into a ball when a threat is preceived.Photo: Geetha Iyer

5/24

Plate millipede, Anoplodesmus species, from Suchindrum, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. They are the most diverse Indian species. Photo: Geetha Iyer

6/24

A millipede of the order Spirostreptida from the family. Harpagophoridae. Photo: Geetha Iyer

7/24

Millipedes belong to the class Diplopoda. The term describes them accurately as they have two (diplo) pairs of legs (poda) in each segment of their body.Photo: Geetha Iyer

8/24

A giant pill millipede belonging to the Arthrosphaera species rolled into a ball. Photo: Geetha Iyer

9/24

Arthrosphaera species beginning its roll to close. A locking mechanism ensures that they cannot be prised open unless you harm them. This is also a protective mechanism to reduce water loss by reducing the surface area exposed to air. Photo: Geetha Iyer

10/24

Pink-legged millipede belonging to the Aulacobolus species from southern Western Ghats.Photo: Geetha Iyer

11/24

Millipedes prefer environments with constant to high moisture levels and moderate temperatures. They are therefore abundantly distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions.Photo: Geetha Iyer

12/24

Red and black giant pill millipede from southern Western Ghats.Photo: Geetha Iyer

13/24

Eumillipes persephone, a female with 1,306 legs, from Australia. Image by Dr Paul Marek (Wikipedia).

14/24

Flat-backed millipede of the Paradoxosomatidae species.Photo: Geetha Iyer

15/24

Trigoniulus corallinus from the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: Geetha Iyer

16/24

Centipede. Centipedes belong to the order Chilopoda. Unlike millipedes, they have only one pair of legs in a segment. Photo: Geetha Iyer

17/24

Centipedes are carnivorous, and their bite carries a venom that can harm humans. Photo: Geetha Iyer

18/24

Spirostreptids range in size from the largest millipedes to the smallest. They are adapted to live in various types of biomes—rain forests, grasslands, deserts and caves. Photo: Geetha Iyer

19/24

Trigoniulus corallinus, a pantropical Spirobolid millipede common across India.Photo: Geetha Iyer

20/24

A black bulldozer, Aulacobolus species, from Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary.Photo: Geetha Iyer

21/24

Litter splitters or plate millipedes from Suchindram.Photo: Geetha Iyer

22/24

While most millipedes are predominantly forest-floor/soil dwellers, some of them climb trees to reside in crevices to feed and escape the heat.Photo: Geetha Iyer

23/24

Wedge or litter splitter, Chondromorpha species, Suchindrum.Photo: Geetha Iyer

24/24