Mukade are a 0.3–2.6 metre (1–8.5 feet) long species of centipedes and millipedes. What Mukade eat is a matter of debate among scientists, as none of the fossils have the mouth preserved. However, it is reasonably certain that it would have had a sharp and powerful set of jaws. Based on this assumption, it used to be thought that Mukade are carnivorous, but recently discovered remains have been found with pollen in the gut, suggesting that the creature ate plants. It is possible that the smaller Mukade species are vegetarian, while the largest ones are omnivorous, using their jaws to tackle vegetation, as well as to hunt small animals and insects. It is estimated that the average Mukade could have eaten its way through a ton of vegetation a year.
As it moves about, Mukade brushe against many different types of plant, and may help the forest reproduce by moving pollen or spores about the place. It is also thought that Mukade are capable of traveling under water, and that it may have returned to lakes and rivers in order to moult its shell. This would have made it vulnerable to attack by large fish and amphibians. On land an adult Mukade would have had few enemies.
Although not a carnivore, they have powerful pincers and venomous bite and can easily be provoked into attacking. Symptoms of Mukade poisoning include:
- Uncontrolled shaking.
- Anaphylaxis.
- Short term memory loss in recovered patients.
Once bitten the venom then begins to slowly attack the central nervous system, not so far removed from modern biochemistry as to be totally ineffective, and any enzyme inhibitor would be detrimental to an extent. However as the Mukade are detritus eaters they make no attempt to eat their victims.
