millipede

plural millipedes · alternative dated millepede · alternative archaic milleped · alternative archaic milliped

1. Any of many elongated arthropods, of the class Diplopoda, with cylindrical bodies that have two pairs of legs for each one of their 20 to 100 or more body segments.First known use 1601

   An entomologist named a new species of millipede Nannaria swiftae after pop star Taylor Swift.

   2022 April 20, Megan Marples, “Taylor Swift inspired an entomologist to name a new millipede species after the megastar”, in CNN, archived from the original on 17 Jul 2023

   5 more examples

   The ſaid leaves alſo ſtamped with honey and brought to the forme of a cataplaſme, cure the bloudie-falls or night-blains: but tempered with wine, they heale the bitings of dogs, as alſo of the Millepeed, which the Greeks call Seps, a long worm with hairie feet, doing much harme to cattaile eſpecially; for looke where it biteth, the place preſently ſwelleth and putrifieth.

   1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XX.] Of the Serpentine Cucumber, called otherwise the Wandering Cucumber: also of the Garden Cucumbers, Melons or Pompions.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 2nd tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 37

   With one or two exceptions, male millipedes make direct contact with the female and transfer sperm via a pair of modified front legs (gonopods) which have been charged with semen from the genitalia situated towards the rear of the body.

   1993, Rod Preston-Mafham, The Encyclopedia of Land Invertebrate Behaviour, page 14

   When alive, millipedes maintain tension in these^([intersegmental]) muscles and are therefore difficult to straighten out when coiled.

   2005, Thomas Eisner, For Love of Insects, page 276

   Soil millipedes (Diplopoda) possess a specific gut microbiota that differs from microbial communities in soil and leaf litter.

   2006, Boris A. Byzov, “4: Intestinal Microbiota of Millipedes”, in Helmut König, Ajit Varma, editors, Intestinal Microorganisms of Termites and Other Invertebrates, page 89

   Working with her colleague Henrik Enghoff, the two discovered several specimens of the same fungus on North American millipedes right there in the Natural History Museum’s collection.

   2020 May 19, Allen Kim, “A parasite that feeds off of the reproductive organs of millipedes is named after Twitter, where it was found”, in CNN, archived from the original on 19 Aug 2021

   Synonyms: diplopod