The Billipede
Arthur is inspired by Arthropleura, a real prehistoric giant arthropod that lived more than 290 million years ago. It was one of the largest land invertebrates ever known, growing to over two metres long. It lived during a time when parts of the Earth were warm, wet and full of huge swampy forests.
The real Arthropleura probably became extinct as the ancient world changed. The climate became drier, the great coal forests altered and the damp habitats it depended on began to shrink. Some scientists have also suggested that changes in oxygen levels and new predators may have added to the pressure.
Story Role
It is the Billipede’s job is to check Colonel Utensil’s Seaweed sheets and ensure that all the animals have arrived correctly on Infinity.
Arthur is pleased that being good at counting is finally considered a proper qualification.
Did You Know?
Ancient arthropods grew huge. Some prehistoric relatives of insects and millipedes became enormous.
Exoskeletons protect soft bodies. Arthropods survive using hard outer shells.
Segmented bodies evolved early. Many ancient animals developed repeating body sections.