Centipedes and Millipedes
Jessica Harwood
Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
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AUTHORS
Jessica Harwood
Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
EDITOR
Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
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Printed: March 11, 2015
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C HAPTER
Chapter 1. Centipedes and Millipedes
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Centipedes and Millipedes
• Distinguish centipedes from millipedes.
• Describe the habitat of Myriapoda.
How many legs does a centipede have?
You might think that centipedes have a hundred legs. But many species of centipedes don’t have quite that many
legs! The common house centipide has only 15 pairs of legs.
Centipededs and Millipedes
Centipedes and millipedes belong to the subphylum Myriapoda, which contains 13,000 species. They all live on
land. The Myriapoda are divided among four classes: (1) Chilopoda (centipedes), (2) Diplopoda (millipedes), (3)
Symphyla (symphylans), and (4) Pauropoda (pauropods). They range from having over 750 legs to having fewer
than ten legs. They have a single pair of antennae and simple eyes.
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Habitat
Myriapoda are mostly found in moist forests, where they help to break down decaying plant material. A few live in
grasslands, semi-arid habitats, or even deserts. The majority are herbivores, but centipedes are nighttime predators.
They roam around looking for small animals to bite and eat; their prey includes insects, spiders, and other small
invertebrates. If the centipede is large enough, it will even attack small vertebrates, like lizards. Although not
generally considered dangerous to humans, many from this group can cause temporary blistering and discoloration
of the skin.
Centipedes
Centipedes ( Figure 1.1) are fast, predatory carnivores, and venomous. There are around 3,300 described species,
ranging from one tiny species (less than half an inch in length) to one giant species (the Peruvian giant yellow-leg
centipede or Amazonian giant centipede), which may grow larger than 12 inches. This giant centipede has been
known to attack, kill and eat much larger animals, including tarantulas. Centipedes have one pair of legs per body
segment, with the first pair of legs behind the head modified into a pair of fangs containing a poison gland. Many
centipedes also guard their eggs and young by curling around them.
FIGURE 1.1
Centipede.
Millipedes
Most millipedes are slower than centipedes and feed on leaf litter and loose organic material. They can be distinguished from centipedes by looking at the number of legs per body segment. Millipedes have two pairs of legs per
body segment, while centipedes have a single pair of legs per body segment. Millipedes protect their eggs from
predators in a nest of hard soil. Millipedes are not poisonous. They lack the pair of fangs containing a poison gland
that centipedes have.
Symphyla
The third class, Symphyla, contains 200 species. Symphylans resemble centipedes but are smaller and translucent.
These arthropods have an elongated body, with three pairs of thoracic and about nine pairs of abdominal legs. Many
spend their lives in the soil, but some live in trees.
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Chapter 1. Centipedes and Millipedes
Pauropods
The pauropods are typically 0.5-2.0 mm long and live on all continents except Antarctica. They are usually found
in soil, leaf litter, or other moist places. They feed on fungi and decaying organic matter. Adult pauropods have
11 or 12 body segments and 9-11 pairs of legs. They also possess unique forked antennae and a distinctive pattern
of movement characterized by rapid burst of movement and frequent abrupt changes in direction. Over 700 species
have been described, and they are believed to be closely related to millipedes.
Summary
• Myriapoda are usually found in moist forests, where they break down decaying plant material.
• Millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment, while centipedes have a single pair of legs per body
segment.
Explore More
Use the resources below to answer the questions that follow.
Explore More I
• Centipede at http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/arthropod/Centipede.shtml
1. Where do centipedes live?
2. What and how do centipedes eat?
3. Do centipedes have 100 legs?
Explore More II
• Millipede at http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/arthropod/Millipede.shtml
1. What is the diet of most millipedes?
2. In what kind of habitats are millipedes found?
3. What is interesting about the legs of a newly hatched millipede?
Explore More III
• Arthropod Animation: Millipede Breathing Tubes at http://vimeo.com/37410640
MEDIA
Click image to the left or use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/57295
1. How do millipedes draw air into their body?
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Review
1.
2.
3.
4.
Where do centipedes and millipedes generally live?
List two ways centipedes are different from millipedes.
What are the differences between the legs of a centipede and millipede.
What are the main food sources of centipedes?
References
1. Jannes Pockele (Flickr:jpockele). A picture of a centipede . CC BY 2.0
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