Millipede

Millipedes, along with their closely related counterparts, centipedes, belong to the arthropods. A distinctive feature of millipedes is their segmented bodies, with each segment typically bearing two pairs of legs, a structure known as diplosegmentation. This unique structure arose from the fusion of originally separate body segments, resulting in double sets of legs on each fused segment. Only a few segments directly behind the head and at the end of the body lack walking legs. Different millipede species vary significantly in the number of leg pairs, ranging from just a few pairs to a record-holding 750 pairs. Millipedes spend nearly their entire lives underground, where they primarily feed on decaying plant material. When they hatch, millipedes have fewer legs than adults, gaining additional pairs with each growth stage until they reach full maturity. Although seemingly defenseless, millipedes have two primary defense mechanisms against predators. They can curl into a ball as a protective posture, and, if further threatened, they deploy chemical defenses. Millipedes are capable of synthesizing highly toxic, foul-smelling, and corrosive chemicals that they can release to deter attackers.