A team of researchers has discovered an entirely new species and five previously unknown subspecies of tropical millipedes.
The fascinating and strange creatures were found in the remote rainforests of Tanzania during research into the effects of climbing plants and climate change on forest health.
According to the findings published in the European Journal of Taxonomy, the new arthropods have completely unique flat heads, and more than 200 legs each.
The lead author, Professor Henrik Enghoff, stated that "it is remarkable that so many of these new species did not appear in an earlier collection of arthropods from the same area."
The creatures, whose detailed analysis revealed subtle anatomical differences that distinguish each of the subspecies, were named Trachistreptoform, after their flattened shape, and the species to which they belong received names such as Udzungwastreptus, after the Udzungdwa Mountains where they were discovered, and Lophostreptus Magombera, after the tax forest sea where they live.
Professor Andy Marshall, a researcher at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia who helped discover the arthropods, claims their alien appearance is reminiscent of "something out of Star Wars".
These reptiles will serve an important ecological purpose in diagnosing the condition of rainforests at risk.
Because millipedes thrive on decomposing plant material, their diversity and numbers reflect the overall health of the forest.
The researchers intend to investigate what these indices reveal about two competing models of the influence of climbing plants - whether they are suffocating plants like parasites or protective like bandages.
For now, the tiny aliens are still focused on eating leaf litter while walking on the damp forest floor.
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