# Giant African Millipedes



## BoomerSub (Jun 23, 2003)

These guys are as big around as a finger and around 8-10" in length.








Looking especially Giger-esque:
























I have no idea what these smaller (~1mm) bugs are, but they don't seem to harm the GAMs:









-PK


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Cool pics,

The little bugs on the millipedes are actually a mite that has
symbioticly evolved along with them, they live in total harmony
so do not try to remove them, they benifit from each other.


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

sweet stuff man

i always thought of getting them but i dont know anything


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

ewww, and cant ther sting and even paralise you?


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

Innes said:


> ewww, and cant ther sting and even paralise you?


 i have been stung by scoprions and i am still here

i think that they have almost the same venom


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## BoomerSub (Jun 23, 2003)

Innes said:


> ewww, and cant ther sting and even paralise you?


 You're thinking of centipedes. Millipedes are harmless unless eaten, these are peaceful herbivores.

Poly, do you know anything more about the mites? When we first got these in (they aren't mine, I work at an LPS and my boss let me photograph them) I pointed them out and was told not to remove them, I guess that's why. What do they do?

-PK


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

BoomerSub said:


> Innes said:
> 
> 
> > ewww, and cant ther sting and even paralise you?
> ...


 I have never really deeply delved into the whole Mite and Millipede interaction

but did once run across something saying that they help reduce the Fungal and
bacterial load on the millipedes outer shell, Thus feeding the mite and keeping the
millipede infection free.

I'm not absolutly positive if this is truly the case, but they definitly have something
going on as Giant millipedes stripped of these mite rarly live long, and this is
a well documented fact.

I'll have to look into that sometime, is a very interesting symbiotic relationship.


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

Out of curiosity, how much would one of those guys set somebody back?


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## J_TREAT911 (May 29, 2003)

Damn those guys are huge!!!


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## BoomerSub (Jun 23, 2003)

SLANTED said:


> Out of curiosity, how much would one of those guys set somebody back?


 $20 apiece.

-PK


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Heres something in regards to the mites, just ran across it
looking for Velvet worm info.

This post was found on the acarology Disscussion list
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/acarolog...999/al9902.html

From: "Barry M. OConnor" <[email protected]> 
To: Rebecca Jolly <[email protected]> 
Date: Tue, Feb 23, 1999 5:39 PM 
Subject: Re: mites on giant millipedes 
At 4:26 PM +0000 2/23/1999, Rebecca Jolly wrote: 
> I have recently acquired a pair of giant millipedes. They have large numbers of light-brown 
> coloured mites running about on them. Also a few larger, darker individuals and I am wonder- > ing if they may be ticks. Does anyone know about mites (and/or ticks) found on giant milli- 
> pedes, would they harm the millipedes? Can anyone suggest a way of getting rid of them (try- 
> ing to catch them with a paint brush is very time consuming). Is anyone interested in them if 
> I remove them - I am willing to send them, especially if you might be able to identify them! 
> 
Dear Rebecca - Large millipedes often harbor several species of gamasid mites in the families Heterozerconidae and Laelapidae. Both groups are rather poorly known, so it's likely your mites represent undescribed species. I've seen four or five different species on individual large millipedes from the Philippines - all were new (as were the millipedes!). As far as I know, they don't harm the millipede in any way. You might contact Dr. Hans Klompen at the Acarology Laboratory, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA (e-mail: [email protected]). He and his students are doing some work with these mites. They would be most useful if you know the identity and place of origin of the millipedes. 
I've removed mites from large live millipedes with the wet paint brush technique. I agree it is difficult and time consuming, but probably the only way to do it without damaging the millipede. 
Best regards - Barry OConnor

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So many mites, so little time! 
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Barry M. OConnor phone: (734) 763-4354 
Museum of Zoology FAX: (734) 763-4080 
University of Michigan e-mail: [email protected] 
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079 USA


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## GloomCookie (Dec 30, 2003)

they look cool, but why would anyone want one? just seems weird to me, but whatever.... cool pics though


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## Scooby (Dec 25, 2003)

wow those are some big ass critters...


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

big bugs give me the willies. those looks pretty col though


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