Return of the long-lost California millipede

The world's leggiest creature is missing-in-action no more. A scientist found a rare species of millipede, last seen 80 years ago in central California, and has collected several of the inch-long bugs for study.

This millipede has more than 600 legs, about twice the average millipede — despite the name, which means "thousand-legged." Of the estimated 10,000 species, only one, Illacme plenipes, comes close to living up to its name and thrives only in California.

Posted by David on June 12, 2006 12:46 PM