Underside of Flat-Backed millipede - genitalia visible?

[Bruce Williams]

Flat-back Millipede Polydesmus angustus - Salcey Forest, 14th March 2008. Flipped this character onto it's back and managed to take this one pic before it righted itself.

I'm assuming that the colourful organ (see also the insert) are the genitalia. Am I right and is this a male or female?

Note also a missing leg toward the tail end.



Bruce

[Paul mabbott]

Looks like it to me but I've forgotten most of what I knew about the Diplopoda. A good starting point is .....
Gordon's Millipede (Diplopoda) Page

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks Paul, that's a very useful link.

From what I've just read I can say with some confidence that my photo is of a male millipede and that what we are seeing on the seventh segment are the secondary sexual organs or "gonopods".

Apparently the male transfers a spermatophore from the "gonopores" (on his third segment) to his "gonopods" on the seventh segment in preparation for mating.

If you would like more info about this process then I recommend you follow Paul's excellent link.

Bruce

[Pudding4brains]

Hi Bruce,

Great image once again

From what I gather from this page it should be a little dude

Cheers, Arp
P.S. Aw .. we just crossed

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks Arp - another very interesting link.

Bruce