Giant African Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas)
Giant African Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas)
The Giant African Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas) is a widespread millipede species in lowland parts of East Africa, from Mozambique to Kenya. It mostly lives in forests, but it is also found in costal habitats that have a few trees. The species has approximately 256 legs, but the number of legs changes with each molting, so there is variation according to each individual. The Giant African Millipede has two main modes of defense when threatened; it curls into a tight spiral to expose the hard exoskeleton, or it secretes a liquid from the pores on their body.
The Giant African Millipede has an overall length between 11”-13.4” (28-34 cm), width of .6”-.75” (15-19 mm), and weight of 6.4-9.6 oz (181-272 g). The typical lifespan of the Giant African Millipede is between 7-10 years.
The Giant African Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas) is a widespread millipede species in lowland parts of East Africa, from Mozambique to Kenya. It mostly lives in forests, but it is also found in costal habitats that have a few trees. The species has approximately 256 legs, but the number of legs changes with each molting, so there is variation according to each individual. The Giant African Millipede has two main modes of defense when threatened; it curls into a tight spiral to expose the hard exoskeleton, or it secretes a liquid from the pores on their body.
The Giant African Millipede has an overall length between 11”-13.4” (28-34 cm), width of .6”-.75” (15-19 mm), and weight of 6.4-9.6 oz (181-272 g). The typical lifespan of the Giant African Millipede is between 7-10 years.