Centipede
| Chilopoda | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| (unranked): | |
| Class: | Chilopoda
|
| Orders | |
A centipede is a type of myriapod with many legs. Centipedes are predators. They hunt during the night; they are nocturnal. Some centipedes are venomous, but none can kill a person unless they are allergic. Centipedes are in the class Chilopoda, and related to millipedes, which are not poisonous. As the millipedes, they are segmented. They have between 5 and 173 segments, but only one pair of legs per segment. There may be 8,000 species in the world.[1]
The house centipede is a carnivore that feeds on cockroaches, house flies and other domestic pests. It is therefore beneficial. But because it has a scary appearance it is often exterminated.
References
- ↑ Adis, Joachim & Harvey, Mark S. 2000. How many Arachnida and Myriapoda are there worldwide and in Amazonia?. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 35 (2): 139–141.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chilopoda.
