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millipedes are not exactly one of the most popular animals in the world. If it is thought of, it usually has to do with a pest control problem. There is a devoted pet community that is happy to care for millipedes, and of course scientists are interested in untangling the web of nearly 80,000 suspected centipedes crawling around today, but in general most people don’t know much about or care about millipedes. Let’s try to change that with this survey of the largest millipedes in the world!
Millipedes and centipedes are often grouped together. While they share some common similarities, millipedes have more legs and are generally herbivorous. centipedeshowever, are usually poisonous and can cause painful bites. Millipedes also have two sets of legs per body segment while centipedes have one.
The class of Diplopoda, which includes millipedes, is a large class of arthropods, meaning that, despite their appearance, millipedes are not insects. Millipedes are widely recognized for their abundant leg pairs. Most millipedes have more than 20 body segments and are largely herbivorous. Their name is actually misleading; no centipede has 1,000 legs, though the Illacme plenipes in California, it can have up to 750 legs, officially making it the longest-legged animal on Earth. In general, these creatures are quite small, with dimensions ranging from millimeters to inches. There are some notable exceptions, however, and they made our list of the top five largest millipedes in the world.
5. American Giant Centipede (Narceus americanus)
One of the most commonly sighted centipedes in North America, this herbivorous arthropod mainly moves on the forest floor, under leaf litter, around trees and in woodpiles. The body of this centipede is mostly tubular and appears dark with red or red-orange bands on each segment. The American giant centipede is also called the iron worm. If picked up, the centipede may secrete a liquid deterrent, but it is harmless to humans and will only temporarily discolor the skin.
4. Smokey Oak centipede (Narceus gordanus)
- Measure: Up to 4.7 inches long
- Habitat: Florida scrub, south carolina, and possibly Tennessee
The smokey oak centipede is an American centipede with anywhere from 45-60 body segments. The body color of this centipede is light greenish brown with a band of darker brown. Compared to others Narcissus species, the smokey oak has shorter legs and a deeper groove on its head, where the antennae rest. It is a herbivorous arthropod that likes to feed on decaying wood and leaves.
3. Sonoran Giant Desert Centipede (Orthoporus ornamentus)
- Measure: Up to ~9 inches long
- Habitat: Desert environments in the US Southwest and Northern Mexico
The Sonoran desert giant centipede is a large centipede that has been sighted in the US state Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, along with many Mexican states. Like many millipedes, the giant desert centipede has a series of sensory organs located near the head and base of the antennae, called Tomosvary organs. Unlike many millipedes, this variety can live up to 10 years in the wild.
The giant desert centipede often has a brownish tinge but can also be yellow. They like to stay underground for long periods of time in the deep, moist soil of their desert habitat. The porous composition of the soil provides ample places for the centipede to move along with food and shelter from hard surface elements. Typical of millipedes, the Sonoran giant desert is largely harmless, but will curl up into a ball if it feels threatened. In rare cases, the centipede can also release a poisonous substance on the sides of its body, which is smelly and designed to deter predators from feeding on it. If the toxic substance gets on human hands, it can irritate the skin and eyes.
2. African Giant Chocolate Centipede (Ophistreptus guineensis)
- Measure: Up to 10 inches
- Habitat: Ghana and Nigeria in dry savannas
This large centipede is originally from Ghana and Nigeria. Because of its ease of use, it has been part of the pet trade for a long time. The name comes from the lighter brown color, which resembles chocolate. This centipede prefers to chew on leaves, bark, soft fruits and vegetables.
Due to the absolutely huge variety of centipedes on Earth (only 12,000 of the possible 80,000 have been identified), extensive information about the giant chocolate centipede is lacking. Most of the details can be found on pet care websites, as the chocolate centipede has earned a reputation as an easy centipede to care for.
1. African Giant Centipede
- Measure: Up to ~15 inches
- Habitat: Subtropical forests of Africa and parts of Oman
The African giant black centipede is the largest living centipede in the world, capable of growing over 12 inches (30 cm) in length! Like many millipedes, it is generally harmless, living on the forest floor and munching on organic matter. The giant black centipede is mainly found in low-lying areas of East Africa, although it is also native to the Dhofar region of Oman.
The African giant centipede also has a symbiotic relationship with mites. The mites, small arachnids, crawl around on the centipede’s exoskeleton and help clean it. The centipede gets a clean exoskeleton and the mites get food and protection from the centipede. While the relationship is mutually beneficial, the mites are known to cause agricultural damage, so the US and Canada have banned the centipede from entering their territories.
The largest extinct centipede Kind
Although the African giant centipede is the largest living centipede today, it was not always so. To find the largest centipede of all time, we must travel back to the Carboniferous (358.9-298.9 million years ago). Before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, the genus Arthropleura contained the largest millipedes of all time. From fossil analysis, scientists have concluded that species Arthropleura may have grown as tall as 8 feet! Although they were most likely still herbivorous, they saw a 8-foot centipede in the wild would likely cause a heart attack and make the African giant small by comparison.
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