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Health & Science5h 32m 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.

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Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, and Spain's Canary Islands

Who
Virginia Tech's Dr. Paul Marek, Luisa 'Fernanda' Vasquez-Valverde, and a team of entomologists
What
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.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:51:55 GMT · 5h 32m ago
Where
Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, and Spain's Canary Islands ·
Why
The research aimed to fill the last missing pieces in the evolutionary history of Earth’s oldest land animals by obtaining and sequencing DNA from previously unsequenced millipede groups.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This research significantly pushes back the known timeline for millipede evolution, suggesting they appeared 35 million years earlier than the oldest fossils and pioneered terrestrial life, setting the stage for later life forms.

Story chain

5 events in this thread
  1. Health & Science2h 43m 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 & Science2h 43m 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. Currently Reading5h 32m 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.
  4. Health & Science5h 32m ago
    Entomologists led by Virginia Tech reconstructed the evolutionary history of millipedes, placing their origins at nearly 460 million years ago.
    Open article
  5. Health & Science5h 32m 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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