Arthropod

Giant African Millipede

COMMON NAME: Giant African Millipede

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Archispirostreptus gigas

The Giant African Millipede is found in subtropical, Western Africa. They are detrivores, with a diet consisting of decaying organic material.

Millipedes are often confused with centipedes. Millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment, a rounded body, and a dull coloration, whilst centipedes have a single pair of legs per body segment, a flattened body and are often brightly colored.

This species has no eyes and navigates their environment using their antennae. They also have weak mouth parts and are largely incapable of inflicting a painful bite. When threatened, they will curl up and secrete a foul substance to deter predators.

Fun fact: Millipedes breathe through tiny holes along their exoskeleton, called spiracles.

Giant Spiny Stick Insect

COMMON NAME: Giant Spiny Stick Insect

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Eurycantha calcarata

TYPE: Invertebrate

DIET: Herbivore

GROUP NAME: -

LIFESPAN: 12 - 18 yrs

SIZE: 4 - 6 in

WEIGHT: -

STATUS: Not Listed

THREATS: None

FUN FACT: Giant spiny stick males have huge spines on their back legs. Males can secrete a foul odor to ward off predators.

Jungle Nymph

COMMON NAME: Jungle Nymph

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Heteropteryx dilatata

The Jungle Nymph is a species of large stick insect found in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, where it feeds upon leaves, such as that of the Guava Tree.

Jungle Nymphs are sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females differ in their appearance. The female is heavy bodied, with short wings and a bright green to yellow body which resembles a leaf rather than a stick. The male is thinner, has longer wings and is stick-like with a brown, mottled coloration.

Fun facts: Jungle Nymph bodies are covered in hard spines. When threatened, the female will raise her spiny hind legs and snap them together if a potential predator gets too close.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

COMMON NAME: Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Gromphadorhina portentosa

Native to the island country of Madagascar, these large cockroaches are nocturnal and can be found beneath logs and amongst the leaf litter of the forest floor. They are detritivores, feeding on rotting organic matter. By removing decaying materials, they contribute to the health of the ecosystem.

Fun facts: This species ‘hisses’ by pushing air through respiratory orifices or ‘spiracles’ along either side of its body.

Peppered Cockroach

COMMON NAME: Peppered Cockroach

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Archimandrita tesselata

TYPE: Invertebrate

DIET: Omnivore

GROUP NAME: -

LIFESPAN: 2 yrs

SIZE: 3 - 4 in

WEIGHT: -

STATUS: Not Listed

THREATS: None

FUN FACT: These cockroaches are closely related to the first winged insects that lived in the Carboniferous coal forests about 200 million years ago.

Sabah Thorny Stick Insect

COMMON NAME: Sabah Thorny Stick Insect

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aretaon asperrimus

TYPE: Invertebrate

DIET: Herbivore

GROUP NAME: -

LIFESPAN: 9 mths to 1 ½ yrs

SIZE: Male: 2 in, Female: 3 – 3 ½ in

WEIGHT: -

STATUS: Not Listed

THREATS: None

FUN FACT: Along with a repulsive scent, these insects will make a slight ‘croaking’ noise with their mandibles when disturbed.

Asian Forest Scorpion

COMMON NAME: Asian Forest Scorpion

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Heterometrus spinifer

TYPE: Invertebrate

DIET: Carnivore

GROUP NAME:

LIFESPAN:

SIZE:

WEIGHT:

STATUS:

THREATS:

FUN FACT:

Red-Kneed Tarantula

COMMON NAME: Red-Kneed Tarantula

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Brachypelma smithii

Found largely along the Pacific Coast of Mexico, this Tarantula is named for the reddish hair found on the joints of their limbs.

They prefer dry forest and desert areas, where they will feed on insects and other small animals.

This species sometimes falls prey to the Tarantula Hawk. This large wasp will vibrate at the entrance of a Tarantula den to draw them out and then sting, resulting in paralysis for the Tarantula. The wasp will then lay their eggs inside the Tarantula, providing a food source for the emerging larvae.

Fun Fact: This species is able to sense vibration, smell and taste via sensory hairs located on the ends of their legs.

Vietnamese Walking Stick

COMMON NAME: Vietnamese Walking Stick

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Baculum extradentatum

The Vietnamese Walking Stick feeds solely upon foliage and has mouthparts which are specially adapted to chew leaves, opening horizontally rather than vertically.

Males are quite rare among this species. Females are capable of reproducing asexually and may produce hundreds of viable eggs without mating.

Fun Fact: Walking Sticks are often referred to as phasmids. Phasmid is derived from the Latin word ‘phasma,’ meaning ghost or apparition. Phasmids have strong camouflage or mimicking abilities, sometimes seeming to appear from nowhere.

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