Millipedes Preceded Vertebrates on Land by 80 Million Years, Study Reveals
Millipedes may have been crawling across Earth's landscapes nearly 460 million years ago, long before vertebrates ventured onto land. A new study has finally completed their evolutionary family tree, revealing surprising clues about these ancient ecosystem engineers and their early chemical defenses.
The research provides a comprehensive view of millipede evolution, showing that these creatures colonized land significantly earlier than previously understood. This finding places millipedes among the earliest terrestrial animals, establishing them as key players in early land ecosystems.
Scientists involved in the study uncovered evidence that millipedes developed chemical defenses remarkably early in their evolutionary history. These defenses would have been crucial for survival as they transitioned from aquatic to terrestrial environments, where new predators and environmental challenges awaited.
The completion of the millipede family tree also offers insights into how these arthropods contributed to shaping early land ecosystems. As "ecosystem engineers," millipedes likely played important roles in soil formation and nutrient cycling long before more complex terrestrial life emerged.