Endangered Species: Milliped

A Christiansburg Elementary Project
Submitted by Jill
Christiansburg Elementary School, Christiansburg, U.S.A.

Milliped

Photography courtesy of Virginia's Endangered Species
Why Study This Topic? What Was Already Known Search for Information Description of Plant or Animal Habitat Requirements
Adaptations Reasons for Endangerment Restoration Actions What Was Learned Conclusions from Research

Why Study This Topic?

  I would like to find out as much as possible about this animal such as what it eats, where it lives, its color, and what it looks like.

 The reason I was interested in this animal was because I had heard of it before, and I wanted to learn more about it. I knew very little about Millipeds in genreal, but I had seen them is flower beds.
 

What Was Already Known

  The only thing I knew adout Millipeds is that many species of Millipeds are not threatend, only a few Millipeds were threatened with extinction.

The reason Millipeds are threatened is that the surface development, such as filling sink holes, interfer with their growth and maturing times.
 

Search for Information

  When doing this report, I searched on Encarta'95 computer program, the World Wide Web, and in the New Standard Encyclopedia.

During this research period I in encountered very few problems. The only one was finding the right species and finding the history of both Millipeds in the search.
 

Description

  Most Millipeds can become 1-2 inches long, but some tropical species can become 12 inches long. The largest millipede found in North America was 10 inches.

 Millipedes have two simple eyes. They have anywhere from 9-100 segments, but usually they have 25-55 segments. Each segment has one pair of legs, only the back segments have no legs. The Millipede also has a rounded head.

 Millipedes grow by molting. The legs the millipedes have make them look like a worm with legs. That is why people call them the "thousand-legged worm."

 The color of this animal is a dark brown.
 

Habitat Requirements

  Millipeds eat mainly decaying plant materials, causing problems with farmers, even though they enrich the soil.

l This animal gets its water from the plants it eats.

 The shelter these animals get are mainly covered by dirt and cave for their shelter.

 This animal has a lot of space to crawl around on. This animal gets its water from the plants it eats.

 The shelter these animals get are mainly covered by dirt and cave for their shelter.

 This animal has a lot of space to crawl around on.
 

Adaptations

  The Millipeds' predators are insects. Millepeds don't kill things for their food, and they are harmless to humans.

 When they are threatened, they curl up in a ball shape or release foul-smelling chemicals from their body. Their color is dark brown to blend with the dirt.
 

Reasons for Endangerment

  Not all Millipedes are endangered. Two that are threatened are the Ellett Valley Milliped and the Laurel Creek Xystobesmld. The Ellett Valley Milliped's problem involving endangerment is that they are not able to develop full. This is the same problem with the second millipede.

 Scientists know nothing about the history of either of these millipeds.
 

Restoration Actions

  I could not find any information on how humans are trying to help these animals - only that we are trying to rid the other species from our homes, flower beds, and yards.

 I think we should gather together the animals that are threatened and put them into rehabilitation centers all over the world..
 

What Was Learned

  In doing this report, I learned about my animal's color, what it eats, where it lives and more. In doing this report I learned about my animals color, what it eats, were it lives and much more.

 I also learned about how these Millipeds are having a problem with developing. In doing this report, I also learned that people are not taking actions in saving these animials.
 

Conclusions From Research

  Some of the research benefits I have are: I know about what I did not know when I started, and I can now identify these animals.

 I think by doing this report I have learned more things about this animal I might not have learned if I had not done this report.
 

Bibliography

  Terwilliger, Karen 1991 "Virginia's Endangered Species" pages 190-191
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/milliped.html 1996. Virginia Cooperative Extension: Milliped. p. 1.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/mmilliped.html 1996. Iowa Insect Information Notes: Greenhouse Millipeds. p.1.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/mmilliped.html 1996. Iowa Insect Information Notes : Millipedes. p.1.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/entomology/factsheets/milliped.html 1996 Milliped. p.1.
http://www.aki.ku.dk/zmuc/ento/staff/he3.htm 1996. Zoological Museum: Research interests pp.2.

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Christiansburg Elementary
Last updated on March 12, 1997