This new millipede has 414 legs and 200 poison glands!
Q. Scientists have discovered a new worm with 414 legs. What is the millipede called?- Published on 25 Oct 16a. Illacme tobini
b. Illacde tobini
c. Millacde tobini
d. None of the above
ANSWER: Illacme tobini
Scientists have discovered a bizarre new worm with 414 legs, 200 poison glands and silk-secreting hair. This belongs to the millipede family
- The worm was discovered hiding in dark marble caves in the Sequoia National Park, California
- In terms of its physical and genetic description, it appears to be a millipede’s evolutionary cousin namely the Illacme plenipes which has 750 legs
- The worm was found by Jean Krejca of Zara Environmental LLC exploring caves with the team
- They also discovered and catalogued many spiders, pseudoscorpions and flies besides threadlike millipede
- The new millipede is named after cave biologist Ben Tobin
- It was sent to diplopodologists or scientists who specialise in the study of millipedes
- The new species possess only 414 legs compared to the relative’s 750
- It has a similar complement of unique and bizarre anatomical features including a body with 200 poison glands, silk secreting hair and much more
- Its whole body is covered with long hair that exudes silk- it has paired nozzles on each of its over 100 segments that squirt a defence chemical of an unknown nature
- By exploring the world and documenting the biodiversity of this planet, we can deal with anonymous extinction- a process which a species goes extinct before one knows of its role in the ecosystem, potential benefit to humanity, or unique beauty
