Centipede - Definition and Overview

For the arcade game called Centipede see Centipede (video game).

Centipedes
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Myriapoda Class: Chilopoda
Orders
Geophilomorpha Lithobiomorpha Scolopendrida Scutigerida

Centipedes (Class Chilopoda) are fast-moving, venomous, predatory terrestrial arthropods that have long bodies and many jointed legs. Chiefly nocturnal, centipedes are found primarily in tropical climates. Like the closely-related millipedes, they are highly segmented (15 to 173 segments), with one pair of walking legs per segment. Centipedes are dorso-ventrally flattened, and are among the fastest and most agile of arthropod predators.

Note that claw arises from the first thoracic segment

The head of a centipede has a pair of antennae and jaw-like mandibles and other mouthparts that evolved from modified appendages. The most anterior trunk segment of a centipede has a pair of poison claws (called maxillipeds) that are used for both defense and for capturing and paralyzing prey.

The familiar house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is a fast-moving carnivore that feeds on insects such as cockroaches and other small invertebrates.

See also

• List of centipede common names

Reference

• Neil A. Campbell, Biology: Fourth Edition, (Benjamin/Cummings Publishing, New York) 1996 page 614 ISBN 0-8053-1957-3

External links

• Tree of Life Project (http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Chilopoda&contgroup=Arthropoda) – Chilopoda