Abstract
The millipede is one of the oldest recorded terrestrial organisms (Sierwald and Bond in Annu Rev Entomol 52:401–420, 2007, [1]). With approximately 12,000 species currently named, millipedes make up the scientific class Diplopoda. The size and shape of a millipede is quite variable ranging from 2 mm to almost 40 cm (Lewbart ed in Invertebrate medicine. Wiley, 2011, [2]). The major dermatologic condition from millipede exposure is contact dermatitis resulting in a mahogany- colored burn, most often on the hands/forearms and feet (Hendrickson in Clin Toxicol 43(3):211–212, 2005, [3]).
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sierwald P, Bond JE. Current status of the myriapod class Diplopoda (millipedes): taxonomic diversity and phylogeny. Annu Rev Entomol. 2007;52:401–20.
Lewbart GA, editor. Invertebrate medicine. Wiley; 2011.
Hendrickson RG. Millipede exposure. Clin Toxicol. 2005;43(3):211–2.
Shear WA, Edgecombe GD. The geological record and phylogeny of the Myriapoda. Arthropod Struct Dev. 2010;39(2–3):174–90.
Alagesan PE, Muthukrishnan JA. Bioenergetics of the household millipede pest, Xenobolus carnifex (Fabricius, 1775) (Diplopoda: Spirobolida). Peckiana. 2005;4:3–14.
McKillup SC. Behaviour of the millipedes Ommatoiulus moreletii, Ophyiulus verruculiger and Oncocladosoma castaneum in response to visible light; an explanation for the invasion of houses by Ommatoiulus moreletii. J Zool. 1988;215(1):35–46.
Blower JG. Millipedes: keys and notes for the identification of the species. Brill Archive; 1985.
Lawal OA, Banjo AD. Survey for the usage of arthropods in traditional medicine in southwestern Nigeria. J Entomol. 2007;4(2):104–12.
Negi CS, Palyal VS. Traditional uses of animal and animal products in medicine and rituals by the Shoka Tribes of District Pithoragarh, Uttaranchal, India. Ethno-Med. 2007;1(1):47–54.
Arab A, Zacarin GG, Fontanetti CS, Camargo-Mathias MI, dos Santos MG, Cabrera AC. Composition of the defensive secretion of the Neotropical millipede Rhinocricus padergi Verhoeff 1938 (Diplopoda: Spirobolida: Rhinocricidae). Entomotropica. 2003;18:79–82.
Eisner T, Alsop D, Hicks K, Meinwald J. Defensive secretions of millipedes. In: Bettini S, editor. Arthropod venoms. Berlin: Springer; 1978. pp. 41–72.
Burns DA. Diseases caused by arthropods and other noxious animals. In: Burns T, Breathnach SM, Cox N, Griffiths C, editors. Rook/Wilkinson/Ebling textbook of dermatology, vol 3. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science; 2004. pp. 33.55–33.56.
Hudson BJ, Parsons GA. Giant millipede ‘burns’ and the eye. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1997;91:183–5.
Pollack, RJ, Norton SA. Ectoparasite infestations and arthropod injuries. In: Larry Jameson J, et al editors. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine, 20e. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2015. http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=2129§ionid=192534409. Accessed 10 Apr 2019.
Dar NR, Raza N, Rehman SB. Millipede burn at an unusual site mimicking child abuse in an 8-year-old girl. Clin Pediatr. 2008;47(5):490–2.
Elston DM. What’s eating you? millipede (Diplopoda). Cutis. 2001;67:452.
De Capitani EM, Vieira RJ, Bucaretchi F, Fernandes LC, Toledo AS, Camargo AC. Human accidents involving Rhinocricus spp., a common millipede genus observed in urban areas of Brazil. Clin Toxicol. 2011;49(3):187–90.
Lima CA, Cardoso JL, Magela A, de Oliveira FG, Talhari S, Haddad Junior V. Exogenous pigmentation in toes feigning ischemia of the extremities: a diagnostic challenge brought by arthropods of the Diplopoda Class (“millipedes”). Anais brasileiros de dermatologia. 2010;85(3):391–2.
Haddad V Jr, Cardoso JLC. Accidents provoked by millipede with dermatological manifestations: report of two cases. An Bras Dermatol. 2000;75:471–4.
Verma AK, Bourke B. Millipede burn masquerading as trash foot in a paediatric patient. ANZ J Surg. 2014;84(5):388–90.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Shahriari, N., Malik, M., Sloan, B. (2020). Millipede. In: Trevino, J., Chen, AY. (eds) Dermatological Manual of Outdoor Hazards. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37782-3_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37782-3_12
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-37781-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-37782-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)