Millipedes

Millipedes are fascinating arthropods known for their many legs—typically two pairs of legs per body segment—distinguishing them from their close relatives, centipedes, which have only one pair per segment. These creatures belong to the class Diplopoda, and while the number of legs varies, some species can have hundreds! Despite their abundance of legs, millipedes are relatively slow movers and are detritivores, feeding primarily on decaying plant material and organic matter, which makes them important contributors to nutrient recycling in ecosystems.