Millipede molts

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
1,086
I have noticed that my flamelegs sometimes have a segment near the posterior end of the body that is much lighter than the others. Is this evidence of a recent molt?
 

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,064
I've noticed that all my immature millipedes have a couple lighter segments at the end. It doesn't seem to be related to molt time, but rather age.


This Acladocrius has doubled in size since the photo was taken and no longer has light end segments.
 

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
1,086
Are you talking about the very end of the millipede?
Almost the very end. Just like in Cavedweller's photo, (thanks for posting it!) but not all of the juvenile millipedes show it all of the time. Since I know the add segments when they molt, I wondered if there was a connection.
 

SDCPs

Arachnolord
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
659
I think those are just new segments in development as Cavedweller said. They go away/get integrated into the rest of the pede as the animal gets older.

They are more apparent just after molting I think, and then they fill out and color up...the millipede "expands" prior to molting, whereas it is "compressed" after molting from my observations....this is so it can grow in between.
 

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
1,086
I think those are just new segments in development as Cavedweller said. They go away/get integrated into the rest of the pede as the animal gets older.

They are more apparent just after molting I think, and then they fill out and color up...the millipede "expands" prior to molting, whereas it is "compressed" after molting from my observations....this is so it can grow in between.
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks!
 

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
1,086
Here are some pics of mine...e first with the obvious new segments, the second without.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1418057452.686433.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1418057466.991752.jpg
 
Top