# Millipede — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Class Diplopoda — over 12,000 described species; Eumillipes persephone Marek, 2021 holds the leg record*

> Millipedes (class Diplopoda) are slow detritivorous myriapods with two pairs of legs on most body segments; they break down dead plant material in soil and leaf litter, and differ from predatory centipedes, which have one leg pair per segment and run fast.

**IUCN status:** Class page — most species unassessed; cave and island endemics may be threatened  ·  **WARN range:** Worldwide except Antarctica, Forest litter, caves and soil — greatest diversity in tropics

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Length | Few mm to over 30 cm depending on species |
| Diet | Decaying leaves, wood and detritus |
| Habitat | Damp soil, litter, logs and caves |
| Leg pattern | Two pairs per diplosegment |
| Defence | Coiling plus chemical secretions |
| Confusion pair | Centipede — one leg pair per segment, predator |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Subphylum:** Myriapoda
- **Class:** Diplopoda
- **Orders:** Polydesmida, Spirobolida, Julida and others
- **Record holder:** Eumillipes persephone — 1,306 legs (2021)
- **Species:** Over 12,000 described

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Not Evaluated
- **Population:** Not applicable at class level
- **Trend:** Unknown; cave and island endemics likely declining with habitat disturbance
- **Assessed:** Most species unassessed
- **CITES:** Not listed
- Common garden millipedes appear secure. Specialist cave and forest litter species may disappear locally without ever being assessed.

## Key facts: Millipede
- Millipedes (Diplopoda) eat decaying plant material and are essential decomposers in soil and litter.
- Most segments bear two pairs of legs — the reliable contrast with centipedes (one pair per segment).
- Centipedes are flat, fast predators with venomous forcipules; millipedes are rounder, slower and curl when threatened.
- Eumillipes persephone from Western Australian caves has 1,306 legs — the first species confirmed beyond 1,000.
- Many millipedes secrete defensive chemicals that can irritate skin; they do not bite with venom like centipedes.
- The name 'millipede' is aspirational — leg counts vary widely and most species have far fewer than 1,000.

## Millipede versus centipede — the confusion pair
Centipedes (Chilopoda) and millipedes (Diplopoda) are both myriapods but occupy opposite ecological roles. A centipede has one pair of legs per segment, a flattened body built for speed, forcipules that inject venom, and a hunting lifestyle. A millipede has two pairs of legs on most segments (diplosegments), a rounded or cylindrical body, and jaws adapted for grinding decaying vegetation.

Under a log, behaviour settles it quickly: centipedes run; millipedes trundle and coil. Bite risk sits with centipedes. Millipede defence is chemical — many secrete benzoquinones or other compounds that stain skin and smell acrid. The centipede guide on this site covers the predator side of the pair; this page covers the decomposer side.

## The 1,306-leg species and what 'millipede' actually means
Eumillipes persephone was described in 2021 from millipede specimens collected up to 60 m deep in caves on the Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia. At 1,306 legs it exceeded any previously counted myriapod. The animal is pale, thread-like and cave-adapted — nothing like the chunky garden millipede most people recognise.

That discovery updated a standing joke: 'millipede' from Latin mille pedes means thousand feet, but scientists had never verified a species at that count. Leg number varies by species and age; counting every leg on a live animal is impractical. Body plan and diet remain the useful identification marks, not arithmetic.

## Role in soil and forest systems
Millipedes fragment leaf litter and consume decaying wood, returning nutrients to soil and creating pore space as they burrow. In temperate forests they can be among the most abundant macro-invertebrates in litter layers. Some species specialise on particular tree species or microhabitats; tropical rainforests hold the greatest diversity.

Because they depend on moisture and undisturbed litter, drought, compaction and removal of dead wood reduce populations. Pesticides and metaldehyde slug pellets — aimed at gastropods — can poison decomposers indirectly. A garden with healthy millipede numbers usually has damp refuges and organic matter left in place.

## Defensive chemistry and human contact
When handled, many millipedes coil tightly and secrete defensive fluids from lateral glands. The compounds deter ants and birds; on human skin they can cause brown staining, odour and irritation, particularly if rubbed into eyes or broken skin. Washing hands after contact is sufficient precaution.

Millipedes are not venomous in the centipede sense. Large tropical species may nip with their jaws if provoked, but the primary defence is chemical. Confusing them with centipedes drives unnecessary fear — and unnecessary killing of a decomposer that was doing no harm under the log.

## What WARN does
WARN publishes free invertebrate education that names confusion pairs honestly. Millipede versus centipede is one of the most common myriapod misidentifications; getting the leg count and diet right prevents fear-driven killing of harmless decomposers.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Millipede
### What do millipedes eat?
Millipedes eat decaying plant material — dead leaves, rotting wood, fungi and detritus in soil and leaf litter. They are decomposers, not predators of live insects or vertebrates.

### Where do millipedes live?
Worldwide except Antarctica, mainly in damp soil, leaf litter, rotting logs and caves. They need moisture and are most diverse in tropical forests; garden species hide under stones, pots and compost.

### Are millipedes dangerous?
Not like centipedes. Many secrete irritating defensive chemicals that can stain skin or smell unpleasant if handled, but they do not inject venom. Wash hands after contact and avoid rubbing eyes.

### How long do millipedes live?
Many species live several years; larger millipedes may live five to ten years or more in favourable conditions. Exact longevity varies by species and is poorly documented for most.

### How big do millipedes get?
Common garden species are a few centimetres long. Tropical giants such as Archispirostreptus gigas can exceed 30 cm in length; most species are far smaller.

### What is the difference between a millipede and a centipede?
Millipedes have two pairs of legs on most segments, a rounded body and eat decaying plants. Centipedes have one pair per segment, a flat body, run fast and hunt live prey with venomous forcipules.

## Sources
- [Marek et al. 2021 — Eumillipes persephone (Scientific Reports)](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93767-0)
- [IUCN Red List](https://www.iucnredlist.org/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/millipede