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Millipedes in Defense Mechanism


Millipedes in Defense Mechanism
Photo Information
Copyright: Foozi Saad (foozi) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2575] (9083)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-12-03
Categories: Rain Forest
Camera: Nikon D80, Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG macro
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/2 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-01-07 4:29
Viewed: 2350
Points: 65
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Millipedes - Sorry if the notes is too long
This one is quite a big and long species- about 10 inches, the skin is a bit hard.

Millipedes (Class Diplopoda, previously also known as Chilognatha) are arthropods that have two pairs of legs per segment (except for the first segment behind the head which does not have any appendages at all, and the next few which only have one pair of legs). Each segment that has two pairs of legs is a result of two single segments fused together as one. Most millipedes have very elongated cylindrical bodies, although some are flattened dorso-ventrally, while pill millipedes are shorter and can roll into a ball, like a pillbug. Millipedes are detritivores and slow moving. Most millipedes eat decaying leaves and other dead plant matter, moisturising the food with secretions and then scraping it in with the jaws. However they can also be a minor garden pest, especially in greenhouses where they can cause severe damage to emergent seedlings. Signs of millipede damage include the stripping of the outer layers of a young plant stem and irregular damage to leaves and plant apices.

This class contains around 10,000 species. There are 13 orders and 115 families.

The giant African millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas) is the largest species of millipede.

Millipedes can be easily distinguished from the somewhat similar and closely related centipedes (Class Chilopoda), which move rapidly, and have a single pair of legs for each body segment.

The millipede's most obvious feature is its large number of legs. In fact, its name is a compound word formed from the Latin roots milli ("thousand") and ped ("foot"). Despite their name, these creatures do not have a thousand legs, although the rare species Illacme plenipes have up to 750 [3]. However, common species have between 36 and 400 legs.

Having very many short legs makes millipedes rather slow, but they are powerful burrowers. With their legs and body length moving in a wavelike pattern, they easily force their way underground head first. They also seem to have some engineering ability, reinforcing the tunnel by rearranging the particles around it.Their bodies have segmented sections which makes them move in a wave-like form.

The head contains a pair of sensory organs known as the Tömösváry organs. These are found just posterior and lateral to the antennae, and are shaped as small and oval rings at the base of the antennae. They are probably used to measure the humidity in the surroundings, and they may have some chemoreceptory abilities too. Millipede eyes consist of a number of simple flat lensed ocelli arranged in a group on the front/side of the head. Many species of millipedes, such as cave-dwelling millipedes, have secondarily lost their eyes.

Male millipedes can be differentiated from female millipedes by the presence of one or two pairs of legs modified into gonopods. These modified legs are used to transfer sperm packets to the female during copulation.

Due to their lack of speed and their inability to bite or sting, millipedes' primary defense mechanism is to curl into a tight coil — protecting their delicate legs inside an armoured body exterior. Many species also emit poisonous liquid secretions or hydrogen cyanide gas through microscopic pores along the sides of their bodies as a secondary defense. Some of these substances are caustic and can burn the exoskeleton of ants and other insect predators, and the skin and eyes of larger predators. Animals such as Capuchin monkeys have been observed intentionally irritating millipedes in order to rub the chemicals on themselves to repel mosquitoes.

As far as humans are concerned, this chemical brew is fairly harmless, usually causing only minor effects on the skin, the main effect being discoloration, but other effects may also include pain, itching, local erythema, edema, blisters, eczema, and occasionally cracked skin. Eye exposures to these secretions causes general eye irritation and potentially more severe effects such as conjunctivitis and keratitis. First aid consists of flushing the area thoroughly with water; further treatment is aimed at relieving the local effects.
ramthakur, soccer, nagraj, zulfu, siggi, uleko, Argus, rousettus, vanderschelden, Gert-Paassen, boreocypriensis, flashpoint, valy67, ferranjlloret, banaei_nikon, gracious, anel, maurydv, mohaiminawang, eng55, samandi, trekks, Alex99, dew77, Hormon_Manyer has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Merhaba Foozi,kırkayağın halkaları harika,desenleri muhteşem görünüyor.Bir kayanın altına saklanamadan sen fotoğraflamışsın.Ayaklarınıda görmeyi çok isterdim,nefis bir fotoğraf,ellerine sağlık :)

Hi Foozi,
Well composed capture. This Millipedes is beautiful.
Vrey well done
Pierre

What a beautiful Millipede curled up into a fine circular shape, Foozi!
The image is tack sharp and rich in colours.
The composition too is marvellous.
Great image and thanks for sharing it.
Ram

Foozi,

A good close up shot that is tightly composed. I like the lighting and detail shown in this unusual subject choice.
TFS,
Sheriff

Hi Foozi,
what a delight to watch this natural design, so perfect and you just captured well and good. here we got them too but bit dark brown in coloration. something from you with bright light levels too. tfs.
nagraj.v

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1057 W: 0 N: 162] (868)
  • [2009-01-07 5:21]

Hello Foozi, wonderful close up shot of this milliped.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1373 W: 56 N: 4723] (16252)
  • [2009-01-07 5:49]

Hello Foozi,
excellent detailed shot of this Millipedes. Sharpness, POV and colors are very good. Great macro.
Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2992 W: 162 N: 950] (2789)
  • [2009-01-07 5:54]

Hello Foozi,
Excellent capture of this rolled-up Millipede. I've seen a large one similar to this on Penang. Excellent sharpness and fine colours. I like the way the legs are resting!
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3816 W: 190 N: 11348] (34987)
  • [2009-01-07 6:21]

Hello Foozi,
This is excellent!
A fine capture of a large curled-up Asian Millipede, taken with excellent lighting, sharpness and colours.
The note is excellent too. I don't know if this is a defence posture but as your note says this is poisonous, which it advertises to potential predators by its yellow an brown warning colours.
Great work Foozi and a fine image to share with us: thank you!
Best regards,
Ivan

selam Foozi,
Millipedes are rare animals here. I have seen only several ones on TN. I had also added a species from Turkiye. Thanks for sharing this great post and with informative notes about them. You greatly focused it with sharp details. colors, POV, composition and also frame very nice.
best wishes my friend
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2388 W: 94 N: 5521] (17576)
  • [2009-01-07 8:14]

Merhaba Foozi,
What a superb photo. The colours are splendid and the sharpness and POV are perfect. Great composition.
Very, very beautiful!
Regards,
Peter

Hello Foozi,
Nicely done. Very good depth of field. The long shutter speed provided you some extra aperture room in order to get the appropriate depth of field range.
Thanks for sharing.
Annick

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-01-07 10:55]

Hi Foozi,what a great details this millepedes! It seem a shell from Matatur..hehe...a very high quality pic taken in a decisive moment,my best compliments,Luciano

Hi Foozi,

Nice presentation of this Millipedes wit god pov.
beautiful colours.
very good long note.

Gert

Hi Foozi, a great macro capture of this milliped in defensive posture. Great colours, details and sharpness.
TFS and cheers,
Bayram

hello Foozi!
caught ,in mode of defense ,this millipedes with bright colors and good details ...
seems an abstract painting!!
best sERGIO

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1880 W: 59 N: 2915] (8733)
  • [2009-01-07 15:24]

Hello Foozi !
Wow, what a beautiful Milliped, I love his colors, and I also love the way he is rolled up on himself, making wonderful patterns, almost hypnotic ! :-) Excellent details, nice natural colors, maybe I would have cropped even closer around the Milliped, but this is just my opinion, the picture loos great. Interesting note, too. Very well done !
Valerie.

Hi Foozi,
Wonderfully sharp detailed image of this Millipedes in Defense Mechanism. Good POV, light, and composition.
Well done!
Best regards. Ferran

Hello Foozi

This is a wonderful image with very good visual impact.
The coil has a lovely geometric look to it.
Very good POV and DOF.
The details and colours are very good.
TFS

Wolf

Hi Foozi,
Well composed capture.
I like the lighting and detail shown in this unusual subject choice.

TFS
**MAB**

Selam Abang Foozi,
good closeness on the Millipede with those wonderful colour and details
very good precise notes regarding the species!
thanks for sharing
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1723 W: 0 N: 3915] (15730)
  • [2009-01-08 2:26]

Hello Foozi,
Excellent shot of a millipedes. The long time of exposure you have chosen gives to the pictute a very plastic touch and the creature looks almost 3-dimensional here. Excellent light management here too.
Bravo again
Anne

Hi Foozi

10 inches, that's a big one. I like the abstarct composition of this one, I've never though to take them like this, I must try it next time I find one. excellent composition and sharpness.

Chris

Ciao Foozi,
spettacolare iimagine di millepiedi catturato con eccellente definizione in questa particolare postura arrotolata, eccellenti POV e composizione, molto belli i colori.
TFS.
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • Tabib Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 147 W: 5 N: 151] (720)
  • [2009-01-08 7:23]

Askm Foozi!,

Beautiful 'ulat geluntur'.
Great macro work here.
TFS,
/Redzlan/.

Asalamualaikum Foozi,

After see this image, now i can sleep!:o)zzzzz
Great nature shot.Beautiful graphic colour. TFS.

regards
mohaimin

Excellent capture Foozi!
One of the bestest mMillipede shots I have seen.
Perfect exposure,colour and details.
Very good note too.
Fantastic work.
Cheers
Steve

Outstanding! Really nice POV and you have captured great detail.
Best wishes,
Achim

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1138 W: 32 N: 1161] (3574)
  • [2009-01-09 5:34]

Hi Foozi,
Excellent capture.Well seen and composed.Clear details,sharpness,exposure,POV and visual impact is also wonderful.Very well done!
Thanks for posting.

  •      
  • trekks Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 104 W: 39 N: 7] (36)
  • [2009-01-10 21:13]

hi Foozi

I was looking through Malaysia gallery and found Johor! So I had to know when an why you sot a millipede in Johor :) and I found out this was in Jitra! How nice if you would have popped into Borneo and shoot something from Sarawak?

Very well captured color tone and contrast with this coil to the surrounding and it really forms a great graphical pattern pleasant for the eye, so I can say it is a great observation shot with all the normal sharpness focus and clarity. Even the little glare of light is bringing a ring of shine to this view.

Great work! Informative note.

Greetings from Borneo.
tfs, bill

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5669] (18533)
  • [2009-01-11 10:14]

Hi Foozi.
I am not sure that this insect is the favorite for every people. However, you have represented it by the best way. Simply great close-up with superb sharpness, details and natural vivid colours. I also welcome your perfectly detailed and nice note. Excellent job and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2009-01-12 10:37]

Hello Foozi,
It's an artistic capture.Great sharpness,exposure and details.Composition is also perfect.Very well done!
Thanks for posting.

Beautiful work and rare composition.I like the framing and colors.Great subject too see & enjoy... . Best Wishes

Hi Foozi,
A very nice close-up macro without doubt. Too pity it's a bit overexposured (not brutally, but a little bit).
Respectful regards, László

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