Millipedes have legs that change into genitals which are usually referred to as gonopods . Millipedes should feature in the next transformers movie as the team at Italy’s University of Padova have discovered that they add more segments to their body, rearrange internal anatomy, nerve cord and digestive tract to be able to mate. So what is happening is like us moving our stomach and intestines closer to our chest just to be able to have sex.
Image by Giuseppe Fusco
I think a few male millipedes wish they were a bit taller and had longer legs *wink wink*
The dramatic transition requires a lot of energy from the millipede. When they are sexually mature ( have gonopod) they appear to have lost weight because of the energy required. Some millipedes stop the whole process to prevent it from starving to death.
Watch a very short video of two millipedes making love.
I ask is this all worth it just for sex?
Defiantly
I Give it:
