Order Geophilomorpha - Soil Centipedes

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Works Cited

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)

Class Chilopoda (Centipedes)

Order Geophilomorpha (Soil Centipedes)

Numbers

the largest centipede order, with 14 families (of which 4 in our area), 180 genera, and ca. 1,100 described spp. (estimated 4,000) worldwide(1)

Size

5-195 mm(1)

Identification

Slender, rather sluggish eyeless centipedes that have 27 to 191 pairs (the number of leg pairs is always odd) of legs and 14-segmented antennae. They burrow in the substrate in a manner similar to earthworms, by elongating and contracting their bodies.(1)

Range

occur natively on all the inhabited continents; some spp. have been introduced to oceanic islands(1)

Habitat

From sea level to high elevations; several species inhabit littoral zones(1); can penetrate as deep as 70 cm into soil(2)

Food

insect larvae and worms

Works Cited

1.	Shelley R.M. The myriapods, the world’s leggiest animals

2.	Spiders and Their Kin: A Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press Herbert W. Levi, Lorna R. Levi, Nicholas Strekalovsky. 2001. St. Martin's Press.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:31pm
Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott, v belov, KenW
Last updated 6 April, 2012 - 12:06pm

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