millipedes
Worms with legs
Millipedes are elongated arthropods with many body segments, each bearing two pairs of legs.
Despite the name (from Latin for "thousand feet"), most species have between 30 and 400 legs.
They move slowly, feed on decaying plant matter, and curl into a spiral when threatened.
Unlike centipedes, they don't bite.
Locomotion appendages below torso
- segmentsSeparate parts of something
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- headUppermost body part
mandibles · eyes · cuticle · molting · spiracles · trunk · arthropod · invertebrate
Ground matter for planting
- leaf litterDecomposing ground debris
- forest floorGround beneath trees
- rotting woodDeteriorating plant matter
- humusDecayed organic soil matter
decomposing matter · garden · compost · logs · bark · mulch · rocks · burrows
Eats dead organic material
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
- recyclerOne who processes reusables
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- organic matterMaterial from living sources
fungi · bacteria · dead leaves · soil health · ecosystem · scavenger · biodiversity · woodland
Jointed-limb invertebrate phylum
- myriapodMulti-legged segmented invertebrate
- classGrouping by shared traits
- orderMethodical arrangement or request
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
invertebrate · specimen · classification · biodiversity · evolution
Looping around repeatedly
- curlingForming curved shapes
- cyanideToxic carbon-nitrogen compound
- toxic compoundsHarmful chemical substances
- warning colorationConspicuous hues signaling unpalatability
irritant · foul smell · playing dead · rolling · hydrogen cyanide · repellent · noxious
legs
Locomotion appendages below torso
- segmentsSeparate parts of something
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
head · mandibles · eyes · cuticle · molting · spiracles · trunk · arthropod · invertebrate · chitin
soil
Ground matter for planting
- leaf litterDecomposing ground debris
- forest floorGround beneath trees
- rotting woodDeteriorating plant matter
decomposing matter · humus · garden · compost · logs · bark · mulch · rocks · burrows · caves
detritivore
Eats dead organic material
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
- recyclerOne who processes reusables
- decayGradual organic breakdown
organic matter · fungi · bacteria · dead leaves · soil health · ecosystem · scavenger · biodiversity · woodland · saprophyte
arthropod
Jointed-limb invertebrate phylum
- myriapodMulti-legged segmented invertebrate
- classGrouping by shared traits
- orderMethodical arrangement or request
species · invertebrate · specimen · classification · biodiversity · evolution
coiling
Looping around repeatedly
- curlingForming curved shapes
- cyanideToxic carbon-nitrogen compound
- toxic compoundsHarmful chemical substances
warning coloration · irritant · foul smell · playing dead · rolling · hydrogen cyanide · repellent · noxious
terrarium
Glass-walled growing enclosure
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
temperature · handling · feeding · calcium · vegetables · fruit · misting · breeding · lifespan · docile
- myriapodscentipede, centipedes, giant centipede, house centipede
- animalscat, dog, bird, fish, cow
- living thingsplants, animals, animal, creature, birds
- organismsplants, animals, human, dog, fungi
- arthropodsarthropod, arthropods, Arthropoda, insects, insect
- invertebratesinvertebrate, arthropod, arthropods, mollusk, crustacean
millipedescentipedes
Multi-legged segmented arthropods
house centipedes · wolf spiders · tiger beetles · cockroaches · ants