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Home , Crustacean, Millipede, Narceus, Narceus americanus

orientation movements of americanus when presented a strawberry stimulus Michael Donkor, Jamar Hurtt, Gissel Cuestas, Rachael Adeoye Regional Math/Science Center, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD 21532 Methods Introduction • A 11" x 17" box was used and the grid was separated into a 5 x 7 matrix Discussion with marker. are , which are the largest phylum of Our data supported our null hypothesis. Since the p-values for • A decaying strawberry was placed on number 1 of the gridded box the kingdom. They are scientifically known as the the decaying strawberry (0.015821) and the fresh strawberry (see figure 2). Diplopods. Millipedes are -like made up of multiple (0.000699) are less than the alpha value of 0.05, there is a body segments. They have two pairs of legs attached to each • One was lightly poked at so it could be awoken for the significantly higher number of non-directed movements made by segment and most millipedes have usually have 50-375 experiment and was then placed on the numbers 18 and 19 and covered millipedes in the presence of both decaying and fresh strawberries. legs. The millipedes we are studying are the North American with a small container until the timer started. Non-directed movements are considered to be a kinesis, so the millipede (). The North American millipede • Grid paper was used to replicate the box grid so we could record the millipedes used kinesis behavior towards the decaying and fresh can be found in the United States in all states east of the orientation movements of the millipede for five minutes. The orientation strawberry. There is no difference in the orientation behaviors Mississippi river and nine states to the west (Millican, 2013). movements were based on each sharp turn that the millipede made. between the strawberry types; there our null hypothesis can be They are mainly black and have a range of colors on the edges • Two different colors were used to differentiate between directed accepted. of their body segments. North American millipedes average a movement and non-directed movement of the millipedes on the grid paper. Our results were supported by information sources, in an article mass of 2.5 g and a length of 10.2 cm. Most North American • The procedure was repeated 19 times with a decaying strawberry and we read, it stated that at the base of a millipede's antennae there are millipedes are found in forests and agricultural areas, in spaces 20 times with a fresh strawberry; each trial was repeated with a different Tömösváry organs, which can measure a multitude of things. These like dead trees, and piles of moist dead leaves. They are millipede. organs also act as chemoreceptors, which allows them to sense confided to of high moisture because they become • A t-test with 95% confidence intervals was performed to compare their environment's, taste food, smell odors, feel, measure dehydrated quickly. North American millipedes feed on decaying the difference between kinesis and taxis movements in the presence temperature, find water, and sense pheromones (Millican, matter, such decaying leaves, wood, roots and plants. They also of fresh or decaying matter. 2013) since their antennae are not infinitely long, they can only eat their own , which helps them digest nutrients that may sense their close surroundings; therefore, having to roam around or not have been digested the first time. All millipedes breathe make kinesis movements until they get to a food stimulus. through spiracles, which are connected to their tracheal If I were to repeat this experiment I would make the boxes respiratory system (Millican, 2013). When threatened, millipedes replicate the kind of that millipedes prefer so that we could produce a chemical that deter potential threats. see how their orientation movements change when they are in a familiar or comfortable environment. This might make the Orientation behaviors are coordinated movements that occur experiment we already have more convincing, because then we in response to an external stimulus. They are seen as innate know that the cold box that they are not familiar with and the behaviors because they are developmentally and genetically shadows it cast would not be an extra variable that would cause fixed. Taxis and kinesis are orientation behaviors. Kinesis is a them to perform more taxis or kinesis movements towards or away change in the speed movements that occur in response to an Figure 2. A decaying or fresh strawberry was from an additional stimulus. Figure 1. Narceus americanus (North Sources of error that occurred in our experiment were that they external stimulus. Taxis is a movement directly toward (positive) American millipede) placed in box number 1 or away from (negative) a stimulus. (Meyer, 2009). For example, kept on trying to crawl out of box, and that we did not have consistency, because some trials we used saran warp to cover the if there is a flashlight pointed at a millipede and it directly moves 6 away from it that would be a negative taxis. Since we can box and other trials we didn’t. Something I would like to study in the observe this behavior by watching the millipede, it would also be 5 future is what temperature millipedes are most comfortable in. I could test that by putting them in different temperatures and seeing if considered overt behavior. 4 there is a change in the way they behave. 3

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AVERAGE #OF MOVEMENTS AVERAGE 0 References Decaying Fresh Meyer, J.R .(2009). Elements of Behavior. General . Objectives TYPE OF STRAWBERRY Retrieved from https://genent.cals.ncsu.edu/bug- Direct Non-Direct • Purpose: To see how the type of orientation behaviors of bytes/elements-of-behavior/ Narceus americanus compare when in the presence of fresh Figure 3. Comparing directed or non-directed movements or decaying matter. toward decaying or fresh strawberry, 95% confidence Millican, K .(2013). Narceus americanus. AnimalDiversity. Retrieved • Importance: While gaining background information on intervals are shown with the error bars from http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Narceus Narceus americanus, we found that decaying matter _america nus/ containing bacteria and fungi increases the availability of nutrients for a millipede. We already know that this affects Results Averages of movements of Narceus americanus in the presence of a decaying strawberry: their food preference so we wanted to find if it would affect • their orientation behaviors as well. • Directed movements = 1.85 • Null Hypothesis: There is no difference in the type of • Non directed movements = 4.3 • Averages of movements of Narceus americanus in the presence of a fresh strawberry: Acknowledgements orientation behavior made by Narceus americanus in the We would like to give a special thanks to Frostburg State Directed movements = 1.25 presence of a decaying or fresh strawberry. • University for letting us use their facility to conduct our research. • Alternative Hypothesis: There is no difference in the type of • Non directed movements = 4.15 We would also like to thank the administrative staff Rita Hegman, orientation behavior made by Narceus americanus in the • P values from T-test used with 95% confidence intervals: Angie Ferguson, and Kayla Precourt, and our tutor counselors, presence of a decaying or fresh strawberry. • Taxis vs kinesis for decaying - 0.015821 Sydney Greer, Molly McEvoy, Daniel Jones, and Brady Barnhart • Taxis vs kinesis for fresh - 0.000699 Comparison of Direct and Non-Direct Movements of N. americanus By a Decaying and Fresh Strawberry Regional Math/Science Center, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD 21532

Introduction Methods Discussion Narceus americanus are -like • A 11" by 17" cardboard box was built with a 5 x 7 matrix of We are able to accept the null hypothesis, organisms classified as arthropods, which is the biggest phylum in the boxes. The squares of the matrix were labeled with numbers 1- because there was no difference in the type of behavior shown by the animal kingdom (Benson, 1999). Members of the phylum, such as 35. millipedes in the presence of either stimuli. After doing the statistical t- millipedes, are segmented organisms that have jointed limbs and an • A decaying strawberry was placed on square 1. A millipede was test, we were able to compare the alpha value of 0.05, with a p-value of made of . One of the most important characteristic of placed on square 18, after being woken up, and the timer was .015821 for the decaying strawberry data and another p-value of the millipede is their exoskeleton (Benson et al, 1999). Millipedes prefer started for five minutes. 0.000699 for the fresh data set. Since both p-values were smaller than moist, dark environments, such as mulchy, soiled areas. There are • The movement of the millipede was traced on a separate sheet 0.05, we were able to say that kinesis was the majority movement for spiracles under their exoskeleton which are next to their joints, to help of grid paper, which was a replica of the box's matrix. both data sets; so, between each set there was no difference in the the millipedes breathe; also, these holes connect to their tracheal • The directed movements (towards the stimulus) and the non- movement type. Due to this conclusion, we were unable to accept the respiratory system. With living in such moist, dark conditions, the directed movements (away from the stimulus) of the alternative hypothesis, which was: "There is a difference in the type of millipede prefers to eat decaying organic matter. Millipedes are millipede were highlighted in two different colors and counted. A orientation behavior made by Narceus americanus in the presence of a decomposers, which means everything they eat is returned to the for similar procedure was followed with a fresh strawberry. The decaying or fresh strawberry." nutrients. procedure for both strawberries was repeated nineteen more Due to this being a scientific experiment with living In to navigate their environment, millipedes display several times with a different millipede each trial. creatures, there were sources of error. The biggest source of error types of behavior that help them survive (Meyer, 2009). Millipedes, as • The directed and non-directed movements were averaged. A was the millipedes. The millipedes were brought out of their natural well as every organism, have innate behaviors, which are behaviors that statistical test called the t-test was performed to compare the habitat, and were being touched and interacted with, so the millipedes are genetically programmed (Campbell et al, 2008). Millipedes are directed and non-directed movements for each strawberry. could have been frightened or out of their element. In the future, this genetically programed to respond to different stimuli, by taxis or kinesis. could be prevented by doing an outdoor experiment and leaving the A taxis movements is a movement made directly towards, or away, a millipedes in their natural habitat. Another source of error was the stimuli. Kinesis is a non-directed movement or change in direction. For box. The box casted a few shadows into the corners of the box that could example, aimlessly around, is a non-direct, or kinesis movement. have affected the millipede’s direction, so this could have made a Orientation behaviors, such as kinesis and taxis, are considered overt difference, because the millipedes could have been going towards the behaviors. Overt behaviors are behaviors that can be observed by Results shadow instead of the strawberry. In the future, we could prevent this by looking at the organism. One way we study them overtly is when they • Averages of taxis and kinesis movements are as follows: putting a light over the box to make the environment equally lit. release toxins. To a human, the toxins discolor the epidermis and cause • Average taxis movements made by a millipede to a decaying In the future, I would like to know if the millipedes it to be numb, but to other animals it is deadly. strawberry: 1.85 use taxis or kinesis when going towards specific terrains. Due to finishing • Kinesis movements made by a millipede to a decaying an experiment on taxis and kinesis towards a food source, I would like to strawberry: 4.3 do the same thing only with different habitat options, instead of a • Taxis movements made by a millipede to a fresh strawberry: food source. Also, I would like to build on the study that we concluded and 1.25 test if the taxis and kinesis movements would be different if there were • Kinesis movements made by a millipede to a multiple millipedes in a container when given a strawberry stimulus. fresh strawberry: 4.15 • P-values from t-test: • Direct and Non-direct movements made by a millipede to a decaying strawberry: 0.015821 • Direct and Non-direct movements made by a millipede to a fresh strawberry: 0.000699 References Benson, E. (1999). Millipedes. (n.d.). Retrieved July 04, 2017, Figure 2. Set up of the fresh Average Movements Between Stimuli from http://www.clemson.edu/extension/publications/entomology/ Figure 1. Narceus americanus strawberry experiment. The strawberry 6 household- structural/millipedes-hs18.html (North American Millipede) is in box 1, with the millipede starting in

grid box 18 and 19. 5 Campbell, N., Reece, J. B., Taylor, M. R., Simon, E. J., Dickey, J. L., & Hogan, K. A. (2008). Biology: Concepts & Connections (Chapter 51). (8th

4 ed.).

3 Flint, M. L. (Ed.). (2012). How to Manage Pests. Retrieved July 04, 2017, Objectives from http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7472.html • The study examined how the type of orientation behavior of Narceus Made ofMovements 2 Americanus is compared between the presence of a fresh and decaying M, J. R. (n.d.). Elements of Behavior. Retrieved July 04, 2017, 1 from https://projects.ncsu.edu/cals/course/ent425/library/tutorials/ strawberry. Number behavior/elements_ of_behavior.html • The importance of this study is to determine how a millipede will go to a 0 determined food source. We want to compare the movements in order DECAYING FRESH Strawberry Stimulus to increase knowledge on the orientated behaviors of millipedes. Directed Non-Directed • Our hypotheses are as follows: Null: There is no difference in the type of orientation behavior Acknowledgements Thank you to the Biology Department at Frostburg State made by Narceus americanus in the presence of a decaying or Figure 3. A graph showing the difference in the University for giving us the resources we needed to conduct our experiments. We fresh strawberry. directed and non-directed movements between a fresh or decaying would also like to thank: Sydney Greer, Daniel Jones, Molly McEvoy, Brady Barnhart, Alternative: There is a difference in the type of orientation strawberry. Angela Ferguson, and Kayla Precourt. Special thank you to Rita Hegeman, the director behavior made by Narceus americanus in the presence of a Also included: 95% confidence interval. of the Regional Math and Science Center. decaying or fresh strawberry. Narceus americanus terrain preference Regional Math/Science Center, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD 21532

Introduction Methods Discussion Millipedes, also classified as Arthropods, are long bodied • We used a cardboard box with the dimensions of 17” x 22” and we Our data supported our null hypothesis that there is no separated into four quadrants (6.5in x 9.5in), one for each environment statistically significant difference in the mean number of Narceus americanus creatures that have many legs and (soil, grass, rocks and mulch) our 12 millipedes will encounter. occupying each terrestrial environment after 10 minutes. We know this is correct hard . Narceus americanus, also known • The millipedes were placed in soil, rocks, grass, and mulch as a way to because our p-value was 0.4973 and our alpha value was 0.05. When the p-value as the North American millipedes, can reach up to 2.5 mimic their environments. We distributed soil under all the four exceeds the a-value, we can accept our null hypothesis. Accepting our null hypothesis means that there is no specific terrestrial environment that the North grams (mass) and 10.2 centimeters (length) (Millican, 2013). environments to resemble and their regular environments. (Figure 2) • We placed 12 millipedes in the center of the box with a cylinder cardboard American Millipedes prefer even though our grass terrarium had more millipede The exoskeleton is on the dorsal side of their body and is occupants than the other 3 environments. The information sources we read stated piece. We then let the millipedes roam while keeping a timer running. This that the North American millipede commonly resides in grass, rocks, mulch, and soil mostly black but may have stripes of other colors (Figure procedure was tested ten times in total. Within those ten tests, we set the 1). These millipedes typically have two pairs of legs on each because they often appreciate the shade it provides (Millican, 2013). Our timer to 10 minutes and after that we counted where the millipedes were. experiment showed that the millipedes occupied all of the environments. This body segment and male millipedes usually have longer legs and • The Chi Square Test was used to calculate whether there was a significant means that throughout the duration of the experiment, there was at least 1 millipede antennas than females. Narceus americanus can be located in difference between what terrain the millipedes chose to go. occupying that terrestrial environment, proving that the article is correct. It was not all states east of the Mississippi River, but can only be found in stated in the article that the North American millipede prefers one of the four types of environments more than another type, which is also what we had discovered nine states west. These millipedes reside in forests and during the experiment. agricultural areas. Inside of these habitats, they can be found in Upon performing this experiment again, I would change the moist, dead matter and moist animal corpses (Millican, 2013). total amount of millipedes we would use during the experiment to make the data Narceus americanus breathe by absorbing water more accurate or reduce error. Instead of using only 12 millipedes to determine preference, I would use about 20-25. This would give us more data to analyze, through spiracles (external respiratory openings) in their Figure 2:Experimental set up of terrains which would provide us with more accurate data. I would also use a larger box to exoskeleton and cuticles. Millipedes are Top left: grass w. soil act as the choice chambers, which would make it easier to keep track of the North Top right: rocks w. soil , meaning they eat decaying matter. The vegetation American millipedes as they went about the terrestrial environments. A source of Bottom left: soil error we came across was the escaping of the millipedes over the box walls. Having they consume contain microbes, which help digest food that Bottom right: mulch w. soil to take them off of the walls and placing them into the center of the box gave other was not already absorbed (Millican, 2013). To defend millipedes time to steer out of our eyesight and we would lose track of where they themselves they either roll up into a ball to expose their traveled to. A way that we could have avoided this error would be to add a exoskeleton as amour or they secrete a noxious substance that transparent cover over the top of the box so we would continue to be able to view the millipedes but they would not be able to escape. can cause burning and discoloration (Millican, 2013). More information about the North American millipede that I would like to know is how they produce their noxious toxins and how their toxins effect other millipedes of the same . Our teacher mentioned that female Results millipedes are able to store and use it to repopulate, which is something very • The average of millipedes in each terrain (Figure 3): interesting to me. Another topic that I would be interested in researching in the • Mulch- 3.2 future would be the evolution of pill bugs, a member of the isopod . These • Plain Soil- 1.7 organisms do not contain a wax that is one of the 3 layers present on an • Grass- 5.1 ’s exoskeleton that keeps them from drying out. This leads them to pill bugs living around moist environments. Though they are the only able Figure 1: Narceus americanus (North • Rocks- 2 American Millipede) • Chi-Squared Numbers to live the extent of their on land, there must be some form of isopod that came • P Value: 0.497368 before them that led to the devolution of the wax coating. • Alpha Value: 0.05 References Campbell, N., Reece, J., Urry, L., Cain, M., Wasserman, S., Wickoff, B., Jackson, R. (2008). Animal Behavior. Objectives Biology, 8th ed. (pp.1120-1125). New York; Pearson Meyer, J.R. (2009, April). Elements of Behavior. Retrieved from • The purpose of studying Narceus americanus (North American https://projects.ncsu.edu/cals/course/ent425/library/tutorials/behavior/elements_of_behavior.html millipede) is to see if they have a preference for what type of terrain Millican, K. 2013. "Narceus americanus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed July 04, 2017 Retrieved from http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Narceus_americanus/ they would like to occupy. Figure 3: Averages after all • The importance is to see what preference the millipedes prefer since data was collected and the they can go into people's houses. expected value of each • Null hypothesis is that there is no statistically significant difference in terrain the mean number of Narceus americanus occupying each terrestrial Acknowledgements I would like to take the time to thank Frostburg State University, the biology department and Compton Science environment after 10 minutes. Center, for allowing us to occupy their space while here.

• Alternative hypothesis is that there is a statistically significant difference I would also like to thank Rita, Angie, Kayla, Sydney, Daniel and Molly for making our project possible and in the mean number of Narceus americanus occupying each terrestrial successful. environment after 10 minutes. Last but not least, I would like to thank my family for supporting me as I took on this opportunity. Environmental preference of Narceus americanus Regional Math/Science Center, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD 21532

Introduction Narceus americanus, otherwise known as the North American Methods Discussion • The 11 inch by 17 inch box was separated into five areas (four millipede, belong to the largest group in the animal kingdom called the The data that we collected did support our null hypothesis which 5.5 inch by 8.5 inch quadrants with a circle connecting them in Arthropods. The class that N. americanus belong to are Diplopodia. The stated that there would be no statistically significant difference in the center) by cardboard walls with doors in them connecting they belong to is (Millican, 2013). These the mean number of Narceus americanus occupying each adjacent quadrants. Arthropods found in eastern North America. Bodies of these millipedes terrestrial environment after 10 minutes. We know this because the • One chamber had mulch and soil, another had grass and soil, are normally long and cylinder-like. Narceus americanus are normally p-value (.497) was greater than the alpha value (.05). The the third had rocks and soil, and the fourth had just soil (see black with different colors through the edges of their body segments. millipedes did not prefer any environment. The statistical test figure 2). These colors include, red, yellow, purple, etc. They can reach up to 10.2 shows that there is no significant difference, even though it • 12 millipedes were placed in center of a choice chamber. A table cm (102 mm) in length, they contain many segments are covered by a seemed like they preferred the grass environment. The articles was used to record the location of the millipedes and find the cuticle consisting of three layers. These millipedes are found in forests state that millipedes will live in any of these environments in the amount millipedes in every section after ten minutes. and other agricultural areas. They are often found under rocks, boards, wild as long as it is moist (Millican, 2013). dead trees, and even in moist animal corpses. They have spiracles on their • The procedure was conducted 10 times. • After the data was collected, we preformed a Chi Squared test body segments which are connected to their tracheal respiratory system. Some sources of error in our experiment are with 95% confidence intervals to calculate if there was a North American millipedes release toxins that numb the predators who that the millipedes were crawling out of the box, also by the end of significant difference between the occupancy of each terrain. touch them (Millican, 2013). our experiment there was grass in other sections and the environments were mixed up with dirt. With the mixed up North American millipedes seem to prefer minimal light and high environments it created other options like mulch, grass, and soil. moisture. Most of the habitats that they live in are dark and located under We want to learn if they can swim or survive underwater. We objects. The food that N. American millipedes prefer is normally decaying could possibly test this by placing millipedes in water and matter, since they are decomposers (Millican,2013). They will observing if they float, sink, swim, or flail. We want to test this eat decaying leaves, wood, and roots. If the decaying matter has bacteria because an article that we read online stated that some species can and fungi, they are more likely to eat it because it increases the nutrients survive under water for a long time. they will be getting. References Cain, M.L, Jackson, R.B, Reece, J.B, Wassermen, S.A, Winickoff, B. (2008). Animal Behavior. In Campbell, N.A, Biology, AP edition, 8th Edition. (pp 1120-1125). Boston: Benjamin Cummings. Legs, L. O., & Communities!, J. O. (n.d.). Sutton. Retrieved July 04, 2017, from http://www.suttonmass.org/animals/caterpillars/millipede Meyer, John R. (2009, April). Elements of behavior. General Enthomology. Retrieved from Figure 1. Narceus americanus https://genent.cals.ncsu.edu/bug- bytes/elements-of- (North American millipede) behavior/ Figure 2. Choice chamber used in the Millican, K. (2013). "Narceus americanus" Animal Diversity Web. experiment. Starting from the top left Figure 3. Average millipede per chamber after 10 minutes compared to expected Retrieved from URL (clockwise) the chambers are grass and average millipede per chamber. http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Narceus_ame soil, rocks and soil, mulch and soil, and ricanus/ Objectivesjust soil. Acknowledgements • We are going to be experimenting with Narceus americanus to study and see if they have a preference to 4 different types of Results We would like to thank RMSC (regional math and science center) for terrains to occupy. Terrain preference is important for us to know allowing us to be able to participate in this experiment. We would like to • Average millipedes in each terrain:​ think Ms. Rita and Ms. Angie for choosing us to be a part of the RMSC because we are able to see what makes houses more vulnerable to • Mulch: 3.2​ program. FSU (Frostburg State University) for allowing RMSC to stay on millipede infestation. • Plain Soil: 1.7 campus. We would also like to thank the Biology department at FSU for • Null hypothesis: There is no statistically significant difference in the • ​Grass: 5.1 allowing us to use their resources. We would like to thank our wonderful mean number of Narceus americanus occupying each • ​Rocks: 2​ science teacher, Sydney, our TC's in the classroom, Molly and Daniel, terrestrial environment after 10 minutes. Chi Squared Test​: our English teacher, Brady, and our Math teacher, Jason and Bailey all for • helping us become a better student in the classroom and augmenting our • Alternative Hypothesis: There is a statistically significant difference P-Value: 0.497368​ • learning experience. in the mean number of Narceus americanus occupying each • Alpha-Value: 0.05 terrestrial environment after 10 minutes.