Python Millipede

Description:

Seen at La Selva Biological Research Center. Millipedes and centipedes are often confused with one another. Millipedes have legs that come in pairs, and depending on the species and how fast they are moving, you can notice the legs moving two by two. Millipedes tend to move slower than centipedes, so if you see one of these many-legged insects racing across the forest (or house) floor, it is probably not a milipede.

Habitat:

Members of this species are found in Central America, on both slopes of Costa Rica. It likes dark, humid nooks within the forest, favoring rotting trees, piles of leaf litter and soil, caves, and other concealed places.

Notes:

Partly because it is an herbivore, the millipede does not move quickly or have venom like the hasty, biting centipedes which hunt other insects. This species of millipede has a tough exoskeleton, a hefty size, and bright warning colors. Rather than run or bite, it will instead curl up and release an unpleasant liquid from its rear which contains hydrogen cyanide and benzaldehyde. This liquid can ooze or eject from the millipede, and while it is not potent enough to threaten human health, it is better to wash the skin it touched.