How are centipedes different from millipedes?
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arthropod
Spiny lobster, or rock lobster (Palinurus elephas).
Centipedes and millipedes are both members of the subphylum Myriapoda within the phylum Arthropoda, but they differ significantly in their anatomy and behavior:
- Body Structure: Centipedes (class Chilopoda) have long, flattened bodies. Millipedes (class Diplopoda) are characterized by diplosomitesādouble trunk segments formed from the fusion of two segments.12
- Legs: Centipedes have one pair of legs on each body segment. Millipedes typically have two pairs of legs on each diplosomite.12
- Diet and Behavior: Centipedes are predaceous, hunting other small invertebrates at night using venomous, jawlike claws. Most millipedes feed on decaying plant matter, though some are scavengers or predators.12
- Defense: When threatened, centipedes may bite. Millipedes generally do not bite; instead, they often coil their bodies to protect themselves and may secrete a pungent, toxic liquid or gas from lateral glands.12
While both are arthropods that live in similar terrestrial habitats like leaf mold or under stones, these distinct physical and behavioral traits separate the two groups.231