Arthropleura (Giant millipede)
2.63 m (8.629 ft)
Estimated body length
The largest arthropod ever, from the coal forests. Seen from above. Up to an estimated 2.63 m long and 55 cm wide.
Published
How big is that?
2.63 m is 1.5 times an adult man and 9.7% of a blue whale.
Arthropleura is the 10th smallest of the 31 Prehistoric Giants objects, and the 30th smallest of the 109 objects across all three SizeItUp games.
Closest in size from the other games: Bowling pin (Ten-pin) (Classic), 38.1 cm tall and Perseverance (Mars rover) (Cosmic Scale), 3 m long.
Size comparison
To scale, smallest to largest: Arthropleura in orange beside the Prehistoric Giants objects nearest in size, in teal.
| Object | Size | vs Arthropleura |
|---|---|---|
| VelociraptorA feathered predator from Cretaceous Mongolia, measured nose to tail. | 1.8 m long | 68% of the size |
| Ostrich (Adult male)The tallest bird alive, head held up. | 2.4 m tall | 91% of the size |
| Arthropleura (Giant millipede) | 2.63 m long | – |
| Woolly mammoth (Adult male)The shaggy Ice Age elephant of northern Siberia. Measured at the shoulder. | 2.8 m tall | 1.1× bigger |
| Wandering albatross (Wings spread)The seabird with the widest wings alive today. | 3 m wingtip to wingtip | 1.1× bigger |
In other units
| Centimetres | 263 |
|---|---|
| Metres | 2.63 |
| Inches | 103.5 |
| Feet | 8.629 |
| Yards | 2.876 |
How it's measured
Estimated body length. Davies et al. 2021, upper estimate.
Known only from partial remains, so the size is an estimate and published figures vary.
Body length runs from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail, following the spine.
Sources
- zenodo.org: Journal of the Geological Society: 55 cm in width and up to 2.63 m in length.
Checked against the source on .
Could you have guessed it by eye?
Arthropleura is one of the objects in Prehistoric Giants, a daily size comparison game: you stretch a shape to the size you think is right beside one you know.