Are yellow flat backed millipedes cannibalistic?

[Godzilla90fan]

I know they don't eat live food, but I'm more wondering if they would eat a dead tank mate. I hadn't seen my largest of this tank in about 2 weeks. I long assumed he was possibly doing a final molt (he was already full size), but after not seeing him so long I decided to search the substrate.

Essentially, he's just not there. I massively doubt he could have escaped, his tank is over twice his height past the dirt, and I've never had an escapee before (but I'm new to flat backs). I did notice the others occasionally rear up on the glass, but they definitely can't climb it.

TL;DR: Was he eaten, or possibly an escape artist?

 

[Lordosteous]

What species are they? I have Oxidus gracilis, and they scavange other dead arthropods all the time for me, though I've never seen them actually attack live tank mates.

 

[Godzilla90fan]

Apheloria tigana is the best match I can find, based on appearances and where I collected them. I'm new to the species. I don't think he was attacked, he was full grown when I found him and maybe just..died. I feel he was scavenged or escaped, but I dont see how.
Don't think his tank mates could have killed him anyway, he was a good inch larger than the next biggest

 

[Lordosteous]

Died of natural causes and then scavenged definitely seems the most likely possibility to me, especially with the quick lifespans of polydesmids. This seems especially likely since he was by far the biggest specimen you had, and so was probably older.

 

[Godzilla90fan]

Died of natural causes and then scavenged definitely seems the most likely possibility to me, especially with the quick lifespans of polydesmids. This seems especially likely since he was by far the biggest specimen you had, and so was probably older.

Thanks for the advice, wasn't sure on the lifespan of this species, new to flats in general (just started raising gardens and yellow flats for the first time, cant get them to breed). I'm used to my other millipedes living several years, so I wasn't very sure if natural causes was it, and was worried he may have SOMEHOW escaped lol. Thanks again

 

[Lordosteous]

If you're just getting started, I would highly recommend Orrin Mcmonigle's book "Millipeds in captivity: Diplopodan husbandry and reproductive Biology", it's the definitive work on millipedes in captivity for the time being. It has pretty much all the information available on breeding Polydesmids and the more typical round species seen in the hobby.
Polydesmids are infamously tricky to breed and even to keep alive, so it's good to see more people taking in interest in keeping them.

 

[Godzilla90fan]

If you're just getting started, I would highly recommend Orrin Mcmonigle's book "Millipeds in captivity: Diplopodan husbandry and reproductive Biology", it's the definitive work on millipedes in captivity for the time being. It has pretty much all the information available on breeding Polydesmids and the more typical round species seen in the hobby.
Polydesmids are infamously tricky to breed and even to keep alive, so it's good to see more people taking in interest in keeping them.

Thanks for the info, I'll look it up and see what I can learn, Google isn't giving me specific results on millipedes sadly. I've not had much trouble keeping my Polydesmids alive (just the two species though) but they seem to only live 3 or 4 months, though the ones I find tend to be adults. No luck getting them to breed.
However, my American giants breed like crazy whenever given the chance. I forgot to sex the very large one I found last night, and put him in a pen with 6 females, 4 of which are adults. We quickly realized it's a male, because for the last nearly hour he's been getting his groove on. Which brings to mind a question, could he get all of my females pregnant on his own? Cause....that's a lot of babies

 

[Lordosteous]

Yeah google is a good place to start but there sadly aren't many resources on polydesmids outside of bugguide and sometimes research papers.
I've only observed Oxidus gracilis through it's whole life cycle so I can't confirm that this is true of all polydesmids, but it seems to me that the majority of their lifecycle takes place underground. Polydesmids may in fact live for several years, but most of that time is probably spent underground where no one can observe or collect them. O. gracilis' entire lifespan from birth to death is less than a year and less than half that time is spent as an adult on the surface. In culturing them, I'll have a group of adults, they mate and die, and then 4-8 months later new adults seem to appear out of nowhere. Other polydesmids, especially those that live in temperate climates and must find a way to survive the winter, may live similar lifestyles where tiny eggs or young remain dormant underground for months before becoming active.
On the topic of getting them to breed in the first place however, most polydesmids require well rotted hard wood such as oak to reproduce. They eat the stuff and use it to construct chambers for their eggs, and the young usually eat the white fungus that grows on it. Some species may also want fallen hardwood leaves or moss to supplement their diet.
Polydesmids are also sensitive to temperature, most will die above 78F-80F, even those from hotter climates, so temperatures of 76F-74F or lower are generally required.
Glad to hear your American giants are doing so well though. One male could certainly impregnate 4 females. Definitely a lot of babies!

 

[Godzilla90fan]

Yeah google is a good place to start but there sadly aren't many resources on polydesmids outside of bugguide and sometimes research papers.
I've only observed Oxidus gracilis through it's whole life cycle so I can't confirm that this is true of all polydesmids, but it seems to me that the majority of their lifecycle takes place underground. Polydesmids may in fact live for several years, but most of that time is probably spent underground where no one can observe or collect them. O. gracilis' entire lifespan from birth to death is less than a year and less than half that time is spent as an adult on the surface. In culturing them, I'll have a group of adults, they mate and die, and then 4-8 months later new adults seem to appear out of nowhere. Other polydesmids, especially those that live in temperate climates and must find a way to survive the winter, may live similar lifestyles where tiny eggs or young remain dormant underground for months before becoming active.
On the topic of getting them to breed in the first place however, most polydesmids require well rotted hard wood such as oak to reproduce. They eat the stuff and use it to construct chambers for their eggs, and the young usually eat the white fungus that grows on it. Some species may also want fallen hardwood leaves or moss to supplement their diet.
Polydesmids are also sensitive to temperature, most will die above 78F-80F, even those from hotter climates, so temperatures of 76F-74F or lower are generally required.
Glad to hear your American giants are doing so well though. One male could certainly impregnate 4 females. Definitely a lot of babies!

I'll have to get them some wood, they currently have rotted bark, leaves, and moss. Hopefully I'll see some little ones soon. I like these, very eye catching