Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, uncovered a new genus and five species of millipedes in Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains. Highlighted in the New York Post, USC Professor Andy Marshall drew an intriguing comparison between the millipedes’ heads and Star Wars characters. These creatures, extending several centimeters with approximately 200 legs, play a crucial role in indicating forest health, according to Marshall. “The millipedes will help us to determine… whether the vines are like bandages protecting a wound or ‘parasitoids’ choking the forest,” he explained.

The discovery, surprising due to the absence of these species in previous collections from the area, emphasizes the undiscovered biodiversity of tropical forests. The findings were published in the European Journal of Taxonomy under the title ‘A mountain of millipedes’, introducing species such as Attemsostreptus julostriatus and Udzungwastreptus marianae. These specimens are now housed in the Danish Museum of Natural History, with the study funded by the Australian Research Council to explore forest recovery processes.