New ‘Alien-Faced’ Millipede Species Found in Tanzanian Jungles

Scientists have unveiled the discovery of a new genus and five previously unidentified species of millipedes in the secluded forests of Tanzania, located in southeast Africa. This groundbreaking find was documented in a study named “A mountain of millipedes XI. The trachystreptoform spirostreptids of the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae),” which was published in the European Journal of Taxonomy on January 22.

The discovery occurred during the Forest Restoration and Climate Experiment in the Tanzanian Udzungwa Mountains, as reported by researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia. They were initially investigating the growth patterns of trees and vines when they stumbled upon these millipedes.

Professor Andy Marshall of USC shared with the New York Post that his team was responsible for finding these millipedes, which he described as resembling creatures from sci-fi movies, with heads that reminded him of characters from Star Wars. In a news release by the university on February 1, Marshall referred to the species as having “alien-faced” appearances.

These millipedes, a few centimeters in length and boasting around 200 legs each, were later sent to the Natural History Museum at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark for further study. Marshall highlighted the importance of millipedes in assessing forest health during their research, noting their surprise at the significant discovery only after experts in myriapodology examined the specimens.

The publication also mentions that the largest millipedes in Africa can grow up to 35 centimeters, in contrast to North America’s largest species, which reach about 15 centimeters in length, as per the Missouri Department of Conservation.