About Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1864)
Nyssodesmus python, also called the python millipede or large forest-floor millipede, is a species of flat-backed millipede in the family Platyrhacidae. It is commonly found in Costa Rica, where it occurs widely and is locally abundant on Caribbean slopes at elevations ranging from sea level to around 365 meters, or 1,200 feet. Individual millipedes can grow up to 10 cm, or 4 inches, in length. They have a distinct coloration of yellowish tan with brown or black stripes, and their appearance is sometimes compared to a human spine. These millipedes are often found in pairs; long after mating has finished, the male continues straddling the female’s back to stop other males from fertilizing her eggs before she lays them.
