My student brought this Myriapod picture he snapped in Southwestern Nigeria, West Africa. The area is Tropical rainforest region. Unfortunately the resolution of the phone camera he used is bad. A student who touched it developed blisters on his skin.
It is definitely not a myriapod but an insect. I would say it is a lepidopteran. Last instar caterpillars normally wander around to find a suitable place to pupate.
For me it looks like a beetle larvae. However, no idea, what it exactely is.
It is definitely not a myriapod but an insect. I would say it is a lepidopteran. Last instar caterpillars normally wander around to find a suitable place to pupate.
Dear Mr. Borisade,
I agree with Mr.Ricardo. Definitely not a myriapod. It is a lepidoptera larva. Not a butterfly, but a moth larva. As Mr.Ricardo pointed out, wandering around to find a suitable place to pupate is common among lepidopteran final instar larvae. And also, when you touch the lepidopeteran larvae, specially moth larvae, it tend to cause the blistering effect that your student suffers. Thanks!
Best,
Tharindu.
Dear Mr. Borisade
In my opinion, It is a caterpillar, maybe you should wait to appear adult.
Thank you
All the best
Mostafa
This is definitely a lepidopteran caterpillar. Probably of the family of Cossidae.
I do not know the African species, but you can compare it with a European caterpillar.
They have very strong mouth parts, because they feed of wood. I never heard, that they (the European) are poisonous.
Best wishes
Rudolf Ritt
Yep, this is not a centiped/milliped but a lepidopteran caterpillar.
Please look for Macrocossus toluminus [DRUCE 1887](Cossidae), this could be the species, but I am not sure.
Best
Rudolf
I too think it looks like a cossid, but I've never heard about poisonous caterpillars in this family. You could try contacting Dr Roman Yakovlev; he's a specialist in Cossidae. He has an account in Researchgate .
Thomas J. Witt is also a specialist for Cossidae, also in Research Gate.
Thanks everyone. I have been able to confirm it is a Lepidopteran larvae: Macrocossus toluminus.
http://www.africanmoths.com/pages/COSSIDAE/COSSINAE/macrocossus%20toluminus.htm
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