Giant Black Millipede

This is a giant black millipede.  It is also called a giant African millipede, because it lives in Ghana and other parts of tropical western Africa.  We saw this one at the Milwaukee Public Museum.  In the picture above, you can see its face pretty well.  If you look on the right side, you can see the giant desert centipede in the other cage.

Giant black millipedes live in the rain forest and eat decaying plants.  They can be found under bark, in the soil, or in leaves on the ground.  Just like the millipedes in North America, they can curl up into a spiral for defense.

They have two pairs of legs on each segment.  In this picture, you can see the legs better.  Click on the pictures to make them bigger.