The first 'true millipede' - with 1,306 legs

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Millipede is Latin for '1,000 feet' but previous discoveries have had no more than about 750. This new tiny threadlike species, named 'Eumillipes persephone' finally lives up to its name, and has been found in Western Australia. Entomologist Paul Marek of Virginia Tech explains how the specimen was discovered, how he counted its legs and how this underground creature moves around. This tiny animal, which is 0.95 mm wide and 95.7 mm long, has 330 segments, a cone-shaped head with enormous antennae, and a beak for feeding. Photo: A close-up of the millipede 'Eumillipes persephone' Credit: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University