 | Categories | | Nooks and crannies |  | | Yesteryear | | | Semantic enigmas | | | The body beautiful | | | Red tape, white lies | | | Speculative science | | | This sceptred isle | | | Root of all evil | | | Ethical conundrums | | | This sporting life | | | Stage and screen | | | Birds and the bees | | | BIRDS AND THE BEESHow many legs do centipedes and millipedes really have? Which creature has the most legs? Gus Smith, Hebden Bridge, England - The main difference is that centipedes have one pair of legs on each segment (two legs), and millipedes have two pairs - four legs - on each segment. I don't know what the record number of legs are though!
Benjy Arnold, London - The European centipede (Chilopoda) Himantarum gabrielis has up to 354 legs. The American millipede (Diplopoda) Illacme plenipes has up to 750 legs. Both of these type of arthropod reach up to about 30cm and both have poison glands - millipede (M) along the body, centipede (C) has fangs. M (about 8000 species) is a slow moving, detritivorous (decayed stuff) herbivore, has a rounded, quite rigid body, 2 pairs of legs per segment, generally nocturnal and has short antenna. C (about 3000 species) is fast moving, carnivorous, flatened, bendy body, 1 pair of legs per segment, comes out in the day, has long antenna and a tail looking like the antenna. Both are found world-wide. Does anyone think I should get out more?
Steve, Nantwich England - The American millipede (Diplopoda) Illacme plenipes only grows to 30 MILLIMETERS. FYI, those of you to lazy to check the validity of uncontrolled posts.
Paul R., Dallas USA Add your answer  |
