Archispirostreptus gigas

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
2,294
Meet Marissa, the African giant millipede. She's pretty much the best pet ever. Handled her many times and she never left a trail of defense fluid. Beautiful creature!

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UltimateDracoMeteor

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
95
@ first picture: I have a female milli who does the head curl too. I've never seen males do it, so I wonder why it happens.
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
2,294
Sold this beauty today. I really did not want to at all, but it had to be done. The fungus gnats that the substrate was producing was insane. I let it dry out and they seemed to stop reproducing. This was until I came home from work one day. I walk into my room and it's almost like a summer day in the swamp; bugs flying everywhere. Sticky tape helped a lot but the population was too strong. I would be laying in bed on my phone and see at least 5 fungus gnats crowding toward my screen. Also, when I opened my window blinds, behind it had to be 60 dead gnats per window. Pretty bad! She was my favorite and will always have a spot in my heart.
 

Timc

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
84
I'm sorry you had to sell her but defense fluid?!? That's a new phrase (I have 0 experience in millipedes).
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
2,294
Miss her so much. However, no more fungus gnats! Pretty stoked. Maybe I can get something in remembrance of her like a tattoo.
 

desmess3000

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
29
I just lost my A. Gigas to a tragic fall so I know your pain :/...Chicobolus spinigerus/ivory millipede is a very fun species as well that don't need a lot of humidity.
 

MadMilli

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 4, 2018
Messages
190
@ first picture: I have a female milli who does the head curl too. I've never seen males do it, so I wonder why it happens.
Chicobolus Spinigerus are famous for doing the head curl. I've seen any gender from the ivories do it, but the AGBs seem to be gender specific. No idea, good observation though!
 

MadMilli

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 4, 2018
Messages
190
I'm sorry you had to sell her but defense fluid?!? That's a new phrase (I have 0 experience in millipedes).
Millipedes excrete a defensive fluid when they feel threatened. Those who are more comfortable with humans or yourself will not excrete any kind of this fluid, which is an orange color. Not releasing the fluid was an indication that the millipede was very familiar with its owner. The fluid is composed of Hydrogen Cyanide and Hydrochloric Acid, although it is very dilute and doesn't really have an effect on humans. You just don't want to get it in your mouth.
 

Exoskelos

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 15, 2017
Messages
137
The fluid is composed of Hydrogen Cyanide and Hydrochloric Acid, although it is very dilute and doesn't really have an effect on humans.
You're thinking of polydesmid (flat) millipedes that secrete cyanic compounds. The secretions of Archspirostreptus gigas are mostly benzoquinones and hydroquinones, according to this useful paper that lists the secretions of various diplopod species. I'm not aware of any millipedes that secrete hydrochloric acid, even in a dilute form. Have to agree the fluid is definitely something you wouldn't want in your mouth or eyes.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...diplopoda_Biochemistry_physiology_and_ecology
 

MadMilli

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 4, 2018
Messages
190
You're thinking of polydesmid (flat) millipedes that secrete cyanic compounds. The secretions of Archspirostreptus gigas are mostly benzoquinones and hydroquinones, according to this useful paper that lists the secretions of various diplopod species. I'm not aware of any millipedes that secrete hydrochloric acid, even in a dilute form. Have to agree the fluid is definitely something you wouldn't want in your mouth or eyes.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...diplopoda_Biochemistry_physiology_and_ecology
You would be exactly right on that information. I was on the early stages of my research project and thought the defensive fluid applied to all millipedes with all of the compounds mentioned in one fluid universally. However, as you said, polydesmid millipedes are the ones who secrete cyanide products. I found a publication stating that there is at least one species of millipede that does have a HCl compound in it, even if it isn’t the main component. As I said, it would definitely have to be a dilute form if it was actually there. Once I get my research all in order, I’ll send you the article if I happen to think of it.
 

Exoskelos

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 15, 2017
Messages
137
You would be exactly right on that information. I was on the early stages of my research project and thought the defensive fluid applied to all millipedes with all of the compounds mentioned in one fluid universally. However, as you said, polydesmid millipedes are the ones who secrete cyanide products. I found a publication stating that there is at least one species of millipede that does have a HCl compound in it, even if it isn’t the main component. As I said, it would definitely have to be a dilute form if it was actually there. Once I get my research all in order, I’ll send you the article if I happen to think of it.
That would be great. I've been hunting down all the scientific articles I can find on millipedes, as they tend to have the most accurate information for care of certain species, since its done in laboratory conditions.
 
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