Archispirostreptus

The ten accepted species of this genus range across Africa into parts of the Near East and Israel. This genus holds the record for the longest recorded extant millipede, though other species grow incredibly large more consistently. While A. gigas is purportedly the most common species in the trade, specimens from all over Africa have arrived in the hobby, raising questions as to the purity and/or identity of specimens currently available. Many species in the wild have overlapping ranges, so it is also possible that the various species will not breed with each other, and this contributes to the overall difficulty of breeding Archispirostreptus consistently in captivity. Archispirostreptus syriacus has been made available to collectors recently as well, though there is little captive information available on it.

This genus as a whole does well with standard millipede care, and has been proven to be one of the hardiest large millipedes available to enthusiasts. Because of this, it is highly sought-after in both the Americas and Europe, though due to regulatory issues it is hard to acquire in the former; in the latter wild caught specimens are most commonly available. In captivity this genus has been proven to be difficult to breed consistently, at least amongst American breeders. Orin McMonigle suggests in his work Millipeds In Captivity that a thick layer of quality rotting leaves on the surface is necessary to induce A. gigas females to lay eggs, while others suggest that mimicking seasonal variation (i.e providing adequate periods of aridity followed by periods of moisture, similar to the dry and wet seasons in much of Africa) is key. It is likely by providing both proper seasonal variation and a thick layer of rotting leaves at the proper time (preliminary research suggests tree leaves in coastal Kenya, where A. gigas can be found, fall at the start of the dry season) year after year that Archispirostreptus females will lay their eggs consistently. Eggs are laid in clumps buried under the substrate, often in the hundreds, and hatch out as fragile protonymphs that can be easily crushed by large adults and older immatures. For this reason it is best to remove larger specimens after the eggs have been laid.

A. gigas specimens in the hobby reach to in-between 7"-10"/17-25.4 cm in length, and is one of the bulkiest species available. The body is an overall dark brown with lighter bands of caramel brown (most visible under bright lighting); the legs are reddish-brown, oftentimes banded with lighter brown interspersing the dark base. The coloration is the quickest way to discern African Archispirostreptus from Spiropoeus fischeri, which is a jet-black color with satiny ridges, with jet-black legs. Large specimens are frequently day-active and will climb objects in the enclosure. There is a species of commensal mite that frequently arrives on wild caught Archispirostreptus, though it is completely harmless. See here for a report on A. gigas.

A. gigas photos compliments of Kevin Nasser. Last photo of a large adult female A. gigas.