Flatplate Millipede
Orthoporus cavicollis
Flatplate millipedes inhabit dry scrub, desert margins, and other warm areas of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, sheltering beneath rocks, logs, and leaf litter. They emerge mainly during damp conditions or at night to feed on decaying plant material. When threatened, they curl their many armored segments into a tight coil and release a pungent defensive chemical. Despite their impressive size, they are slow-moving detritivores rather than hunters.
- Type
- Venom / Shell
- Conservation status
- NE