Subphylum Myriapoda

        Class Diplopoda (millipedes)

                       -Were one of the first land animals

                       -Have two tagmata (Head and Trunk)

                       -Trunks have between 11 and 100 segments

                       -Each segment has two pairs of legs (diplopoda)

                       -Are detritovors eating detritus leaf matter

                       -Expel hydrogen cyanide from glands on their body

                       -Transfer sperm to the female using modified legs called gonopods

The African giant millipede is the largest of the millipedes

    Class Chilopoda (Centipedes)

             -Most are nocturnal

             -Bodies are flattened

             -Have a single pair of legs per trunk segment

             -Usually have 15 or more trunk segments

             -Centipedes are fast moving predators

             -The first trunk appendages (maxillipeds) are modified for hunting and inject venom

             -Most centipede venom is harmless to humans but there are some large species that feel like bee stings

             -There has been a few human deaths from the venom but it is very rare

             -The last two legs are modified into sensory appendages

             -The male will court the female and then lay a spermatophore in a web

             -The female will then pick up the spermatophore and use the sperm to fertilize her eggs as she lays them

             -The young are the same as the adults just with fewer segments

Centipede feeding video