300 million years ago, centipedes were truly gigantic. Their size reached 2–3 m. Such a specimen can only be seen in a photo of the reconstruction of the arthropleura. The modern giant nodule is 10 times smaller. However, for people suffering from millipodaphobia (fear of centipedes), this creature looks terrifying. But, despite its specific appearance, the arthropod is harmless. Quite often, the nodule is kept as a pet: some people like to use it as a massage therapist, others admire how it absorbs food, and still others hope to count the number of paws.
What does it look like
The giant nodule (lat. – Archispirostreptus gigas) is a species of two-paired centipedes. The first description of an arthropod was made by the German zoologist Wilhelm Peters in 1855. Its distribution area is tropical and subtropical regions of Africa. They live in the forest floor, in which they make numerous passages. They may prefer the burrows of animals, rodents, and tree trunks. Mostly gigas nods are found in forests, less often in areas with low vegetation, as they prefer to live in places with a humid climate.
Description of appearance:
- The body of adult individuals is rich black, matte or with a metallic sheen. The larvae are predominantly gray in color. The dense chitinous, calcified cover protects from mechanical damage;
- the body is segmented, which is why it visually appears striped. The number of segments is determined by age and varies from 15 to 90. With each moult there are more of them;
- A pair of thin walking legs is attached to each segment. Legs are red-brown;
- a clearly visible head, on which the antennae are located - the organs of smell and touch, and on the sides - the organs of vision;
- The African nodule can grow up to 38.5 cm in length. The diameter of such individuals reaches 21 mm.
The African nodule can have up to 400 legs. In terms of the number of legs, this creature is second only to the species Illacme plenipes, in which scientists were able to count 750 limbs.
In the Exotic Corner “Akhatinka” there is always a large selection of invertebrate animals - not only snails, but also stick insects, cockroaches, spiders of various types and sizes! Here you can find nooses, praying mantises, woodlice, beetles and other interesting living creatures. Below are examples of the animals we have. Currently available animals can be selected in our online store.
A special place in our store is occupied by food supply for insectivorous animals - reptiles, spiders, hedgehogs, swifts and fish, and everyone who does not eat grass. Live, frozen and dried feed cockroaches, crickets, zoobass, tormentor, drones, silkworms, locusts are always available. Here is a page in an online store with food insects.
Baculum extradentatum (Medauroidea extradentatum) - Annamese stick insect
The length of an adult reaches 11 cm. The optimal temperature is 24-28°C, humidity 60-80%. Forage plants: raspberry, blackberry, oak leaves (also available for sale).
Prices and availability can be viewed in the online store
Gromphadorhina portentosa - Madagascar (Malagasy) giant hissing cockroach
Adult females grow to sizes of 6-7.5 cm, males - 5.5-6.5. Life expectancy is 1.5-2 years, but in captivity this figure in rare cases can reach 5 years! Content temperature 24-29°C, humidity 50-65%. Food: omnivorous (vegetables, fruits, greens, bread, bran, cereals, protein feed).
These cockroaches do not have wings. In case of danger, especially when touched, cockroaches make a hissing sound. It occurs due to a sharp contraction of the abdomen and the rapid passage of air through the respiratory openings. This behavior of cockroaches scares away enemies and can cause a feeling of fear even in humans.
Gromphadorhina grandidieri - Madagascar giant tiger cockroach
The closest relative of the previous species, and therefore they are very similar in appearance. Black color. When frightened, some males also know how to make a frightening hissing sound. Adult females grow to sizes of 6-7.5 cm, males - 5.5-6.5. Life expectancy is 1.5-2 years, in captivity up to 2-3 years. Content temperature 24-29°C, humidity 50-65%. Food: omnivorous (vegetables, fruits, greens, bread, bran, cereals, protein feed).
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Cockroaches are delivered to the store after placing an order
Blaberus giganteus - Giant Cuban cockroach
Adults reach sizes of 7-9 cm. Life expectancy is about 1.5 years. Content temperature 25-28°C, humidity 55-75%. Food: omnivorous (vegetables, fruits, greens, bread, bran, cereals, protein feed).
Nauphoeta cinerea - Marbled cockroach (South America)
Adults grow to sizes of 3-3.5 cm in females, and 2.5-3 cm in males. Sexually mature cockroaches have wings with a characteristic “marble” color. Content temperature 23-27°C, humidity 55-75%. Food: omnivorous (vegetables, fruits, greens, bread, bran, cereals, protein feed).
Telodeinopus aoutii - Olive nodule
They grow up to 18 cm. The most unpretentious species among the nooses, suitable for beginners. The character is not aggressive, safe for humans. Life expectancy is several years. Temperature 24-28°C, humidity 60-80%.
It feeds on fruits and vegetables, loves rotten wood, oak and birch litter. (The litter is commercially available).
Size 13-16 cm.
Archispirostreptus gigas
The largest representatives of the nodule order. The African black giant nod grows up to 25-28 cm. The body thickness of the largest representatives is up to 3 cm in diameter. The legs have a reddish tint, the body is black, with a brown tint at the junctions of the segments.
You can find out about the availability of animals and their prices in the online store
Features of life
The giant African centipede is active at night. It prefers to wait out the heat of the day in shelter. In its natural environment, the grasshopper feeds on rotted organic matter, spending most of its life in the upper soil layer. But, if there are not enough food resources, the diet is replenished with fallen fruits, green and root mass of plants.
Noiseweeds do not like drought; during this period their activity is reduced to a minimum. But at the same time, staying in the water is destructive for them. Therefore, during the rainy season, they try to hide in a dry place.
Despite the abundance of legs, nooks move slowly. In case of danger, they transform into a dense ring or spiral and remain motionless. Thanks to their color, they blend into the soil and are almost impossible to notice. If centipedes feel aggression, they release a specific secretion with a pronounced odor of iodine with a range of up to 0.3 m. For small mammals, this poison is dangerous; in humans, if the protective liquid comes into contact with the skin, redness, rashes, itching, and an allergic reaction may occur. More severe consequences for a person after contact with nox are possible if the poison gets into the mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes, and nose.
Life expectancy reaches 7–10 years. This longevity is explained by the absence of enemies among the Kivsyaks. The only parasites that plague African centipedes are symbiont mites. It was previously assumed that without these pests the life of Archispirostreptus gigas would be significantly reduced. But a number of studies and reviews from owners who kept hawks in captivity recognized this theory as erroneous.
Reproduction of giant nooses
Individuals become sexually mature in the 4th–5th year of life. It is quite simple to determine the gender of a hawk. The male is distinguished by:
- metallic luster of the chitinous cover;
- smaller dimensions in comparison with the female;
- the main characteristic feature is the gonopodium, this organ is located on the 7th segment, if you count from the head, and the visual impression is created that there are no legs in this place.
Pheromones help the male find a female. Mating is preceded by a short romantic period. To attract a female, the nodule touches her with its antennae. If she accepts his advances, she allows the gentleman to climb on her back. The mating process lasts 30–40 minutes. The result is the transfer of a spermatophore - a capsule with seminal fluid.
After fertilization and the formation of eggs (this period lasts about 6 weeks), the female digs a hole in the substrate, builds a nest in it from her excrement and organic remains and lays small eggs 2.5 mm in size, resembling a capsule. After 4–8 weeks, depending on the temperature, larvae hatch from the eggs in the soil. They have only 3 segments and 3 pairs of legs. Young individuals spend the first time in the soil. The diet of larvae is the same as that of the imago.
The stages of maturation are accompanied by molting and an increase in the number of segments and, accordingly, legs. The average growth rate per year is from 4 to 5 cm.
How to keep grasshoppers at home
Gigas are often kept as pets. Children love to play with them; many people like to watch the behavior of centipedes. If the nod is not squeezed or squeezed, it behaves friendly, without releasing its specific liquid. You can buy a giant centipede in online pet stores for 3,000–6,000 rubles. When compared with the prices of other species, Archispirostreptus gigas is one of the most expensive specimens.
After purchasing an exotic pet, it is recommended to inspect for ticks. If they are detected, the nodule must be carefully wiped with a cotton pad soaked in an alcohol solution.
How to keep a centipede in captivity:
- You can keep the nodule in a terrarium, an aquarium without water, or a plastic or glass container. The height is enough 30 cm, and the width should be at least 60–70 cm;
- the height of the substrate is from 7 to 10 cm. The best option is a mixture of coconut substrate and soil with the addition of dry and dried leaves. It is important that the soil is always moist;
- it is necessary to maintain a humidity level of 75–90% and temperature conditions. During the daytime 25–29 °C, at night, when the African nodule is active, – 21–23 °C;
- no additional lighting is required in the terrarium;
- Kivsyak's diet at home is any plant food: pieces of fruit, potatoes, lettuce leaves, regular cabbage, mushrooms, and occasionally cat food. Periodically add eggshell or calcium powder and lime. Protein and calcium are essential components of the millipede's diet.
To reproduce, it is enough to place sexually mature individuals in a spacious terrarium with a substrate, and after a few weeks larvae will appear in the soil.
Character and lifestyle of the kivsyak
The forest floor, where the nooses live, is extremely densely populated by various living organisms, so that on any square meter up to a million of them can be found, ranging from ordinary bacteria to insects, invertebrates and small mammals.
It is in this environment that the nodule spends its life, digging winding passages in the soil, swarming among so many inhabitants. Despite the huge number of legs, the animal is terribly slow and, when a threat appears, cannot instantly hide from the field of view of an unpleasant object.
In the photo there are gray nods
However, in their natural habitat, this species of centipedes has practically no enemies, except for the parasitic ticks that breed on them. They receive such security thanks to the effective defense mechanisms that nature has provided them with. They do not need to hide from predators and chase their own prey, which is why centipedes have a phlegmatic character.
And their favorite state is to bury themselves in the ground and fall into a quiet stupor. To protect themselves from danger, the nodule curls up into a tight ring. But they can also scare away the enemy with an unpleasant odor.
This defense is so effective that other species of animals also use this interesting property of centipedes. For example, lemurs deliberately frighten hawks and then rub themselves on them. And such a specific aroma really effectively saves animals from enemies.
It is believed that the brighter the color of the carapace, the more fetid its odor. the white albino nodule smells especially unpleasant . Exotic lovers, who are attracted by the original appearance of millipedes, enthusiastically breed this type of centipede at home.
Basically, nature fans prefer to keep African species, which more closely resemble small snakes, differing from them only in the presence of legs. Kivsyaks can be kept in terrariums and in ordinary plastic containers. The millipede does not require special conditions or care.
And for their breeding, the main thing is to provide abundant nutrition, the necessary humidity, as well as a sufficient amount of soil and sand so that they can retire in their natural environment. To improve conditions, be sure to plant several suitable plants in the ground.
The downside to keeping centipedes is their unusually shy nature. At the slightest disturbance, they curl up into a ball and secrete substances - a caustic liquid that creates an unpleasant, fetid odor of iodine.
And if you hold them in your hands, you need to wear gloves and be careful, since their disgusting, foul-smelling secretions can ruin clothes, which are then difficult to wash.
But what is attractive about animals is their peaceful, not at all aggressive, character. True, they are not very sociable and self-absorbed. buy a noose from breeders via the Internet, and it costs about 600 rubles.
