Millipedes move in, and
the monkeys go wild by David Ovalle
Miami Herald
Georgia the owl monkey is at it again. But her caretakers at Monkey
Jungle are no longer worried as they watch her frenzied rolls across
the bottom of her cage. After all, they have concluded, she is under
the influence.
An imported species of millipede from the West Indies is flourishing
in parts of South Florida, experts say. The capuchin and owl monkeys
at the park like to rub the creatures on their fur, which sends
them into a delirious state, said Sian Evans, who heads the DuMond
Conservancy, a primate conservation group based at Monkey Jungle,
the South Miami-Dade tourist attraction.
A species of South Florida birds also likes the millipedes. Grackles
pick them up with their beaks and use them to anoint the area under
their wings.
Millipedes defend themselves by secreting a chemical that acts
as a natural bug repellent, said Virginia-based millipede expert
Richard Hoffman, who helped identify the species. Scientists believe
the monkeys rub the bugs on their fur to ward off mosquitoes, a
behavior documented in capuchin monkeys but never in the nocturnal
owl monkeys.
LOVE POTION NO. 9?
The millipedes' secretions induce an excited state in the monkeys
that lasts up to 30 minutes, kind of like how cats react to catnip.
''They bite the millipedes, then reach behind their back and rub
it on their fur,'' said Evans, who added that the behavior is natural
but rarely seen. ``Their eyes glaze over and they're completely
focused on what they're doing.''
Last week, one monkey shared a millipede with four family members
and the entire family turned into a ``writhing mass.''
''Could it be we have stumbled upon an ancient primate form of
hallucinogens?'' Hoffman said. ``Who knows?''
The presence of the nonnative millipedes at Monkey Jungle drew
the attention of the few millipede experts in the country, as well
as scientists with the Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Service
in Homestead.
Students from Florida International University also are studying
the millipedes. Senior Cher Moody, a biology major, was the first
to test the millipedes on monkeys at the park.
The Anadenobolus monilicornis millipedes may have come from the
West Indies or South America on imported plants or fruits more than
a year ago, Hoffman said. State agriculture inspectors are trying
to determine the critters' origin.
There are about 10,000 known species of millipedes, which are not
to be confused with centipedes. Millipedes have two legs per segment
with some species reaching up to 11 inches in length.
`KIND OF CUTE'
The West Indies species can grow up to four inches -- twice as
long as common South Florida millipedes. Unlike the natives' dull
gray color, the West Indian variety has bright yellow and red rings.
''If you like small animals that are not furry, they're kind of
cute,'' County Extension Service entomologist Adrian Hunsberger
said as she examined one on her desk.
Dr. Paul Weldon, a scientist with the Smithsonian's Conservation
and Research Center in Front Royal, Va., visited the park at 14805
SW 216th St., last weekend to test the monkeys' reactions to natural
millipede chemicals.
Weldon, who has been researching nontoxic mosquito repellents for
the Army, found the monkeys had already been experimenting with
the new breed crawling through the park.
He sent live samples to Hoffman in Martinsville, Va., who identified
them. The species has never been recorded in significant numbers
in the United States.
The new species seems to be displacing the native species at the
park, outmaneuvering them for the decaying plants that millipedes
eat, Evans said.
She said the millipedes do not have a negative impact on the environment.
''It's a fairly benign invasion,'' Hoffman said. ``It will be interesting
to keep an eye on it and see and how far it spreads. It may become
established and successful or it could be short-term.''
