Millipedes Have 300- 400 Legs. Here’s Why

Why do giant African millipedes have so many legs? In this video, Museum Educator Jason introduces us to Archie, a millipede with 300 to 400 legs. Since millipedes are detritivores, meaning they eat decomposing vegetation, they spend a lot of time under the forest floor, and these legs power them forward as they use their heads to push through soil particles and leaf litter. They are also constantly growing - every time they molt, a new body segment appears with four more legs!