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The Organism: Polyxenus is a genus of tiny millipedes (usually only 2–3 mm long). Unlike the hard-shelled millipedes most people are familiar with, these are soft-bodied and covered in these tufts of bristles.Defense Mechanism: These hairs are the millipede's primary defense. When a predator (like an ant) attacks, these hooked and barbed hairs detach easily and entangle the attacker’s limbs and mouthparts, effectively "velcro-ing" the predator until it is immobilized.The Illustration: The caption "magnified 250" indicates this is a microscopic view. In real life, the entire cluster of these hairs would look like a tiny, fuzzy pom-pom on the rear or sides of the millipede.