Stats

Lifespan: 1-2 yrs
Size: Small
Diet: Decomposer
Activity: Nocturnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Tropical rainforest
Range: East Asia
Movement: Walking
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Toxins
Status: Common

About

A flat-bodied, chestnut-brown millipede originally from East Asia, now found in greenhouses and gardens worldwide. When threatened, it curls into a tight spiral and releases a faintly cyanide-scented secretion to deter predators.

Life cycle

1.
subadult
A near-adult myriapod adds body segments and pairs of legs with each molt, approaching its full count.
2.
adult
Fully grown, with the full adult count of segments and legs.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Diplopoda
Order: Polydesmida
Family: Paradoxosomatidae
Genus: Oxidus
Species: Oxidus gracilis