Los Angeles, the city of highways and traffic, is not only the home of Hollywood's elite but also of a newly found species of millipede, the Los Angeles Thread Millipede.
It was discovered just below the surface, living in the cracks and crevices between tiny pieces of rock in a Southern California hiking area, not far from a busy freeway, according to
This fascinating little arthropod was named Illacme Socal by entomologist Paul Marek of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The millipede, which has 486 legs and a head like a helmet, is approximately the length of a paperclip but as thin as pencil lead, according to a report from The Lawton Constitution.
The Los Angeles Thread Millipede is blind and uses horn-like antennae that stick out of its head to navigate. It digs four inches down and secretes peculiar compounds. Its transparent and sinuous look mimics a jellyfish tentacle under a microscope.
Digging To Satisfy Curiosity
Marek worked with researchers from West Virginia University and the University of California, Berkeley, to make the discovery, which was then reported in the journal ZooKeys.
During a search for slugs in 2018, naturalists Cedric Lee and James Bailey discovered the inaugural discovery of Illacme Social in Lake Forest, California. The specimen was recognized as a member of the Siphonophoridae family, and they noted their discovery on the iNaturalist app.
Introducing the new millipede, Illacme socal Marek & Shear, 2023. Discovered underground in the Los Angeles metro area, I. socal is a tiny underground burrower. At half a millimeter wide, 20 mm long, and appearing like a thread, we named it the “Los Angeles thread millipede”. pic.twitter.com/jM1kiwMBjG
— Millipede Lab (@apheloria) June 21, 2023
Marek was intrigued by this since the only other places in California where this family of millipedes has been found to reside are hundreds of miles north of Los Angeles. To dig further into the myriapod conundrum, Marek joined up with Lee and Bailey.
Illacme socal spends its entire life underground. With its 486 legs, small thin body, I. socal is an expert at burrowing. We recorded the first ever video of this millipede species moving underground. We found behaviors that appear to facilitate underground locomotion. pic.twitter.com/wNmnhK6ktT
— Millipede Lab (@apheloria) June 21, 2023
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Marek gathered around 10 members of the newly discovered species during a trip to Lake Forest during the holiday season, which enabled him to understand the variety in the creature's appearance. Marek verified that the Los Angeles millipedes are, in fact, a unique, recently discovered species by examining the males' gonopods (sperm transfer organs), per ZooKeys.
On Lee's advice, Marek gave the species the endearing name I. socal as part of the investigation. Nevertheless, the group gave the Los Angeles thread millipede as a stage name to guarantee that the millipede would be recognized.
Living Underground
The members of the Illacme genus tend to dig deeply into the earth, having an almost entirely underground existence, in contrast to many other millipedes that live closer to the surface. This trait helped explain why the newly discovered species went unnoticed for a long time. Illacme's nearest relatives are said to be in Chile or South Africa, according to Science News.
According to Cedric Lee, these microscopic organisms perform a critical function in the ecosystem by acting as detritivores, which digest organic items like dead leaves and recycle nutrients into the environment.
The Los Angeles thread millipede has now been added to the remarkable 7,000 species of millipedes globally and the more than 200 species and subspecies found in California.
Discovering Los Angeles millipedes is difficult because they burrow deep below and only surface after significant rains. However, experts think more of them may still be found.
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