# Salmon Cherry Millipede (*semionellus placidus*) The Salmon Cherry Millipede is a fascinating little creature with a colorful body! It loves to explore the forest floor and munch on decaying leaves. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Habitat:** Moist forest floors, often hiding under logs and leaves. - **Also known as:** Cherry Millipede, Rainbow Millipede, Salmon Millipede ![Salmon Cherry Millipede](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Semionellus_placidus%252C_C._F._Phelps_Wildlife_Management_Area%252C_Sumerduck%252C_Virginia_%2842825485182%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Semionellus_placidus%252C_C._F._Phelps_Wildlife_Management_Area%252C_Sumerduck%252C_Virginia_%2842825485182%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Salmon Cherry Millipede has a distinctive segmented body, often appearing in shades of bright salmon pink or reddish-orange, with darker cherry-red bands or highlights along its sides. Its smooth, cylindrical body helps it stand out from flatter, duller millipede species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Diplopoda - **Order:** Polydesmida - **Family:** Xystodesmidae - **Genus:** Semionellus ## Interesting facts - Baby Salmon Cherry Millipedes hatch with fewer legs and gain more with each shed skin! - Its bright salmon-cherry colors act as a warning: 'I might taste bad!' to hungry predators. - Millipedes are ancient; their ancestors roamed Earth over 400 million years ago! - Unlike insects, millipedes have two pairs of tiny legs on almost every body segment. ## Special abilities - **Stink Spray:** Salmon Cherry Millipedes can release a foul-smelling liquid to deter predators because of glands along their body segments that produce defensive compounds. - **Armored Coil:** Salmon Cherry Millipedes have the ability to curl into a tight spiral, protecting their soft underside because of their hard exoskeleton and flexible segments. - **Burrow Builder:** Salmon Cherry Millipedes can dig through loose soil and leaf litter because their many legs provide powerful pushing force, helping them find shelter and food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 3.5 cm - **Weight:** 0.3 g - **Lifespan:** 5 years - **Leg Count:** 100 - **Segment Count:** 50 - **Speed Cm:** 0.5 cm/s ## Diet & Feeding This millipede is a tidy eater, munching on decaying leaves and wood to recycle nutrients. - **Primary Foods:** decaying leaves, rotting wood, fungi, moist plant matter - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — A food source for this common woodland bird. - **Eaten by:** Masked Shrew (*Sorex cinereus*) — Preyed upon by shrews foraging in leaf litter. - **Depends on:** [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*) — Feeds on decaying leaves and wood from these trees. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Salmon Cherry Millipede? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Salmon Cherry Millipede? 3.5 cm ### How much does Salmon Cherry Millipede weigh? 0.3 g ### How long does Salmon Cherry Millipede live? 5 years ### What does Salmon Cherry Millipede eat? This millipede is a tidy eater, munching on decaying leaves and wood to recycle nutrients. ### Where is Salmon Cherry Millipede usually found? Moist forest floors, often hiding under logs and leaves. ### How does Salmon Cherry Millipede hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Salmon Cherry Millipede have? 100 ## Where to spot - [Lakeshore Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lakeshore-park) — Michigan, US · Park ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Salmon Cherry Millipede: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/salmon-cherry-millipede)