Apheloria virginiensis

Apheloria virginiensis, the Kentucky flat millipede,[1] is a large North American millipede. It is reported to secrete cyanide compounds as a defense. It is recommended that one wash hands after handling this organism as the toxic compounds it secretes are poisonous and can cause extreme irritation if rubbed in the eyes.[1]

Apheloria virginiensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Diplopoda
Order: Polydesmida
Family: Xystodesmidae
Genus: Apheloria
Species:
A. virginiensis
Binomial name
Apheloria virginiensis
(Drury, 1770)

Apheloria virginiensis serves as a host to the parasitic fungus Arthrophaga myriapodina, which causes infected individuals to climb to an elevated spot before death.[2]

References
  1. Jamie Frater (2009). The Ultimate Book of Top Ten Lists: A Mind-Boggling Collection of Fun, Fascinating and Bizarre Facts on Movies, Music, Sports, Crime, Celebrities, History, Trivia and More. Ulysses Press. p. 472. ISBN 9781569757154.
  2. Hodge, Kathie T.; Hajek, Ann E.; Gryganskyi, Andrii (2017). "The first entomophthoralean killing millipedes, Arthrophaga myriapodina n. gen. n. sp., causes climbing before host death". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 149: 135–140. doi:10.1016/j.jip.2017.08.011. PMID 28803979.


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