Details
Archispirostreptus gigas
The giant African millipede is a large forest detritivore that recycles fallen plant material. It moves slowly and defends itself by coiling and releasing irritating chemicals.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits humid Afrotropical forests. Leaf litter, rotting wood, and rich humus on the forest floor provide food and shelter, while daytime cover is found under logs or soil.
Length 20-38 cm; weight 50-130 g. The dark cylindrical body is divided into many ringlike segments, each bearing rows of short legs. A thick exoskeleton helps protect it from drying and predators.
Nocturnal and mainly solitary, it spends daylight hidden. When disturbed it coils tightly with legs tucked inside and may secrete a strong-smelling defensive fluid.
A detritivore, it eats fallen leaves, decaying wood, and soft fruit remains. By shredding plant matter it helps return nutrients to the forest soil.
After mating, females lay eggs in the soil. Young hatch with fewer segments and gain more body rings and legs through successive molts.
It is listed as Least Concern. As a conspicuous decomposer it is also collected for the pet trade, so local pressure can vary.
