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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda)

Subphylum Myriapoda - Myriapods

millipede with eggs - Narceus americanus-annularis-complex - female Euryurus leachii Millipedes - Brachycybe lecontii Millipedes - Polyxenus Scutigera coleoptrata Centipede - Geophilus vittatus Symphylan + Eggs Pauropod
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)
Explanation of Names
Greek myrias (μυριας) '10,000' (i.e., countless) + podos 'foot, leg'
Numbers
four classes, all represented in our area(1)
Identification
Numerous body segments, not differentiated into thorax and abdomen.
In millipedes (class Diplopoda), the trunk segments are fused into pairs called diplosegments, each with two pairs of legs.

Centipedes (class Chilopoda) have numerous unfused trunk segments, all but the last two of which have one pair of legs. The first pair of legs is modified into large poison fangs.

Pauropodans (class Pauropoda) are eyeless and 0.5-1.5 mm long, with branched antennae, 9-11 leg-bearing trunk segments, and a free telson.

Symphylans (class Symphyla) are eyeless and 0.5-8.0 mm long, with long, simple antennae and 14 trunk segments, of which the first 12 each have a pair of legs. The penultimate segment has cerci and a pair of long sensory hairs. The last segment is fused to the telson.
Range
worldwide
Internet References
Images
Works Cited
1.Shelley R.M. The myriapods, the world’s leggiest animals
Contributed by Charley Eiseman on 5 February, 2010 - 10:03am
Additional contributions by Phillip Harpootlian, v belov, Blocky
Last updated 28 April, 2017 - 12:44pm

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