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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda) » Millipedes (Diplopoda) » Spirostreptida » Spirostreptidae » Orthoporus » Orthoporus ornatus

Species Orthoporus ornatus

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References

Desert millipede, Orthoporus ornatus - Orthoporus ornatus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)

Class Diplopoda (Millipedes)

Order Spirostreptida

Family Spirostreptidae

Genus Orthoporus

Species ornatus (Orthoporus ornatus)

Other Common Names

Desert Millipede, Texas striped millipede (2)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Orthoporus ornatus (Girard)

Orig. Comb: Julus ornatus Girard, 1853

Size

Up to 10 cm.

Identification

Cylindrical body is overall brown or black (dead individuals may bleach white in the sun). They have two pairs of legs per body segment (number of body segments, thus legs, depends on how many times they have shed because they add new segments each time they shed). (1)

Range

AZ to w. TX (BG data)

Habitat

They are nocturnal but may be seen in the morning following summer rains. They spend most of their time in burrows that they can dig themselves. (1)

Food

Desert Millipedes are slow-moving and feed on decaying organic material. (1)

Life Cycle

They can live for 10 or more years. (1)

It is known to mass aggregate, and there have been reports of "marching armies of millipedes" crossing roads near Big Bend Nat. Pk., Texas.

Remarks

When disturbed, the millipede may curl into a coil and even secrete a noxious substance (may irritate your skin and certainly your eyes) along the sides of its body. (1)

Print References

Nunez, F.S. & C.S. Crawford (1977). Anatomy and histology of the alimentary tract of the desert millipede Orthoporus ornatus (Girard) (Diplopoda: Spirostreptidae). Journal of Morphology 151 (1): 121–130.

Wooten, R.C., Jr., and C.S. Crawford (1975) Food, ingestion rates and assimilation in the desert millipede Orthoporus ornatus (Girard) (Diplopoda). Oecologia 20: 231-236. (PDF)

Wooten, Jr., R.C., C.S. Crawford & W.A. Riddle (1975). Behavioural thermoregulation of Orthoporus ornatus (Diplopoda: Spirostreptidae) in three desert habitats. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 57 (1): 59–74.

Internet References

(1) Desert Millipede Photo's & Info

(2) Photo and Info

Wikipedia

Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 16 April, 2005 - 7:19pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Mike Quinn
Last updated 29 April, 2016 - 1:28pm

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