New study reveals self-cleaning mechanism of green pill millipede in Western Ghats

A recent study has revealed the self-cleaning mechanism of green pill millipede (Arthrosphaera lutescens), a species endemic to the Western Ghats.

Researchers found that these millipedes, primarily located in the Munnar region of Idukki and Nelliampathy in Palakkad, utilise a biological mechanism similar to the famous ‘lotus effect’ (the natural self-cleaning property of lotus leaves) to stay clean.