Flat-Backed Millipedes
ExploreInvertebrate
Flat-Backed Millipedes
polydesmida
Flat-Backed Millipedes are fascinating creatures that love to curl up in tight spaces. They have many tiny legs that help them move around quickly in their habitats!
Habitat: They live in damp forests, gardens, and under leaf litter.
Appearance
The Flat-Backed Millipedes has a distinctly flattened body, giving it a broad, ribbon-like appearance. They often display drab colors like brown or black, sometimes with striking yellow or orange markings along their sides. This flat shape helps them squeeze into narrow crevices.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassDiplopodaOrderPolydesmidaFamilyPolydesmidae
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Baby millipedes are born with only a few legs, growing more with each time they shed their skin.
Flat-backed millipedes have a special breathing pore on almost every body segment.
Some Flat-Backed Millipedes can glow in the dark, lighting up the forest floor at night!
Their bright yellow or orange markings often warn predators that they taste very bad!
Special abilities
Ability
Chemical Shield
Flat-Backed Millipedes can release foul-smelling or toxic chemicals because of glands on their sides that deter predators.
Ability
Armored Segments
Flat-Backed Millipedes have tough, overlapping segments that help them protect their soft underside from attacks.
Ability
Crevice Crawler
Flat-Backed Millipedes has a low-profile body that helps them squeeze into tight spaces under bark and rocks for safety.
Measurements & details
- Length Mm
- 10-120 mm
- Weight Mg
- 50-5000 mg
- Num Segments
- 19-30
- Num Legs
- 40-200
Diet & Feeding
These tiny clean-up crew members eat dead plants, helping return nutrients to the soil.
Primary Foods
- decaying leaves
- rotting wood
- fungi
- decomposing plant matter
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eaten by
Ground Beetle
Carabus nemoralis
Ground beetles are known predators of various invertebrates.
eaten by
Wood Ant
Formica rufa
Some ant species prey on smaller invertebrates like millipedes.
eaten by
Torrent Frog
Hylodes asper
Amphibians often feed on forest floor invertebrates.
depends on
Common Oak
Quercus robur
Feeds on fallen leaves and decaying wood from oak trees.
Traits
Burrowing
Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Decomposer
Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
Also known as
Flat MillipedeGarden MillipedeWood Millipede
Collections
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Always wash your hands after touching any insects!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Flat-Backed Millipedes?
10-120 mm
How much does Flat-Backed Millipedes weigh?
50-5000 mg
What does Flat-Backed Millipedes eat?
These tiny clean-up crew members eat dead plants, helping return nutrients to the soil.
Where is Flat-Backed Millipedes usually found?
They live in damp forests, gardens, and under leaf litter.
How does Flat-Backed Millipedes hunt?
Foraging
How many body segments does Flat-Backed Millipedes have?
19-30
What is the num Legs of Flat-Backed Millipedes?
40-200
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