African Giant Millipede- Archispirostreptus gigas

Size- African Giant Millipedes are one of the largest millipedes with a length of 12 inches and a circumference of 2-3 inches.

Life span- 5-7 years .

Diet- Millipedes are decomposers and feed upon rotting vegetation. Compost is a more usable form for plants and animals.

Geographic range- They are native throughout Africa.

Habitat- They inhabit tropical and sub-tropical rainforests under leaf litter and logs

Reproduction- They are sexually mature at 2 years of age. The male will crawl on top of the female and tap her with his legs. The pair will end up belly to belly as their sex organs are on the third body segment, close to the head. The female will lay eggs in a nest and guard them. The larval babies only have one pair of legs to a body segment (adults have two legs per segment) and will gain more segments and legs with each molt.

Special adaptations- If disturbed, they curl into a spiral, with the head and legs tucked inside. They can also secrete a defensive liquid, composed mostly of quinines and hydrochloric acid, which discourages most birds and other predators from eating them.

Behavior- Millipedes spend a lot of time underground in burrows where sight is not important. Therefore, they will use their antennae for scent detection and to tap them on the ground for navigation.