Litinsects

© Didier Descouens Litinsects #41: Centipedes Now for the centipedes! If you missed my last post on millipedes, go back and check it out... So how do they differ from millipedes? Unlike millipedes, which are mainly detritivores, centipedes are VENOMOUS and PREDATORY. Millipedes have a more cylindrical body whereas centipedes are usually flattened. Millipedes have (as the Latin name Diplopoda suggests) two leg pair per body segment but centipedes have only one pair per segment. As for the number of legs, centipedes can range from having 15 to about 170 pairs; this is generally fewer than millipedes have but it’s not always the case. Finally, millipedes tend to travel pretty slowly while centipedes are fast runners. Centipedes make up the group CHILOPODA. In Greek, “khelios” means lip and “poda” means foot. The name describes a pair of pincer-like appendages called FORCIPULES, located right behind the head, with which they inject venom to paralyze prey. So the “bite” of a centipe...