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Health & Science4h 3m ago

Entomologists led by Virginia Tech reconstructed the evolutionary history of millipedes, placing their origins at nearly 460 million years ago.

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Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, Canary Islands, Spain

Who
Virginia Tech, Dr. Paul Marek, Luisa 'Fernanda' Vasquez-Valverde
What
Entomologists led by Virginia Tech reconstructed the evolutionary history of millipedes, placing their origins at nearly 460 million years ago.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:51:55 GMT · 4h 3m ago
Where
Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, Canary Islands, Spain ·
Why
Two elusive groups of millipedes, Siphoniulida and Siphonocryptida, were the last missing pieces in understanding the evolutionary history of Earth’s oldest land animals.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This research significantly pushes back the known timeline for millipede existence and their role as early land pioneers, highlighting their importance in setting the stage for subsequent terrestrial life and for developing chemical defenses millions of years ago.

Story chain

5 events in this thread
  1. Health & Science1h 15m ago
    An international team led by Virginia Tech scientists pushed the origins of millipedes back to roughly 460 million years ago, about 35 million years earlier than their oldest known fossils.
    Open article
  2. Health & Science1h 15m ago
    A new study has resolved one of the final mysteries in the evolutionary saga of millipedes, offering fresh insight into the humble decomposers that helped prepare the planet for more complex terrestrial life.
    Open article
  3. Health & Science4h 3m ago
    Entomologists led by Virginia Tech reconstructed the evolutionary history of millipedes, placing two elusive groups, Siphoniulida and Siphonocryptida, and tracing millipede origins to nearly 460 million years ago.
    Open article
  4. Currently Reading4h 3m ago
    Entomologists led by Virginia Tech reconstructed the evolutionary history of millipedes, placing their origins at nearly 460 million years ago.
  5. Health & Science4h 3m ago
    Entomologists led by Virginia Tech reconstructed the evolutionary history of millipedes, placing two elusive groups, Siphoniulida and Siphonocryptida, to understand Earth’s oldest land animals.
    Open article

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