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The millipede Polyxenus sp. is a penicillate millipede that lacks a mineralized cuticle. Typically only a few millimeters long, they live under tree bark and are often called 'bark dwellers'. The body is composed of 11 to 13 segments that are covered with characteristic tufts and rows of serrated bristles or setae (hairs). The last segment has a large tuft of posterior directed setae forming a spine brush or penicil. They have a unique defensive capability against other predatory arthropods; they can splay and release bristles from the caudal tuft, immobilizing the attacker.
Image and text copyright © Dennis Kunkel. All rights reserved. |
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