.Centipedes and millipedes are coming under the sub-phylum Myriapoda of the phylum Arthropoda.
Similarities of centipedes and millipedes
Ø Both coming under the sub-phylum Myriapoda
Ø All are terrestrial arthropods
Ø Body divided into head and trunk
Ø Bears many legs
Ø Single pair of antennae
Ø Sensory Tömösváry organs present below the antennae
Ø Eyes simple
Ø Mouth part lies on the underside of head
Ø Upper lip of mouth with epistome and labrum
Ø Lower lip of mouth with a pair of maxillae
Ø A pair of mandibles present
Ø Mandibles lie inside the mouth
Ø Respiration through trachea
Ø Breath through spiracles that connect tracheal system similar to insects
Ø Excretion through malpighian tubules
Difference between Centipedes and Millipedes
Character Centipedes Millipedes 1. Common name Hundred legged worms Thousand legged worms 2. Class Chilopoda Diplopoda 3. Movement Fast moving Slow moving 4. Feeding Carnivorous prdators Detritivorous feeders 5. Poisonous Poisonous Usually non poisonous 6. Maxillipeds Maxillipeds present formed to prehensors (poison claws) to attack prays. Prehensors are modified legs of first body segment Maxillipeds absent, Prehensors absent 7. First Maxillae First maxillae present First maxillae lost 8. Gnathochilarium Absent Present 9. Mouth Trignathic - with mandibles, first maxillae and second maxillae Dignathic with mandibles and gnathochilarium 10. Trunk segments Mono-segmentic (each segment with single part) Diplosegmentic (each segment formed by the fusion of two segments during development) 11. Legs per segment Each body segment bear single pair of legs Each body segment bears two pairs of legs 12. Leg position Legs articulated laterally along the body Legs articulated mid-ventrally with the body 13. Visibility of legs Legs spread out from the body Legs in line with the body 14. Spiracles Spiracles located laterally, may be valvular and can be closed Spiracles located ventrally, never be valvular and cannot be closed 15. Number of genital openings Opisthogoneate (single genital aperture open at the posterior end) Progoneate (single genital aperture opens at the anterior end) 16. Development Direct or indirect Direct
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@. Arthropoda: General characters
@. Classification of Arthropods with diagnostic characters for each taxa up to classes