Arthrosphaeridae sp. (Pill Millipede sp.)

Description:

Pill millipedes are short compared to other millipedes, with only eleven to thirteen body segments, and are capable of rolling into a ball when disturbed.
When they are rolled-up, most pill millipedes reach a maximum size of a cherry or golf ball, but some species from Madagascar can even reach the size of an orange.
When rolled-up, predators are unable to unravel pill millipedes since the margins of their second and last dorsal plates fit perfectly into one another, creating a sealed ball.
Pill millipedes feed on decomposing plant matter, usually in woodlands.

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar, 11 January 2014

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