396 



CHARACTERS OF INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS 



Myriapods are divided into the following five orders : 



1. Millipedes (CHILOGNATHA or DlPLOPODA). 



2. Centipedes (SYNGNATHA or CHILOPODA). 



3. Spider-legged Myriapods (SCHIZOTARSIA). 



4. Insect-like Myriapods (SYMPHYLA). 



5. Larva-like Myriapods (PAUROPODA). 



Order i. MILLIPEDES (Chilognatha or Diplopoda) 



Millipedes (fig. 245) are vegetarian Myriapods, devoid of 

 poison-claws, and with cylindrical bodies. The legs are com- 

 paratively weak, and throughout the greater part of the trunk two 



pairs of them are borne by 

 each segment, their bases 

 being close together instead 

 of wide apart, as in a Centi- 

 pede. The antennae are 

 short and club-shaped, while 

 each of them is made up of 

 seven somewhat bell-shaped 

 joints. The mouth is pro- 



J 



vided with a plate-shaped 



imnpr i: n of rnncr msnrh'hlpc: 

 UppC lip, Strong man( CS, 



^nd tWO OairS of maxillcE 



fused together into a broad 

 plate. There are two pairs of stigmata on each trunk-segment, 

 and also two small pores (foramina repugnatoria], which are the 

 openings of defensive stink-glands. The eyes resemble those of 

 a Centipede in structure and position. 



Millipedes differ very much in length. A common British 

 species of average length is the Earth Snake- Millipede (lulus 

 terrestris\ a sluggish creature about an inch in length, commonly 

 found under loose bark, &c., and with the habit of curling itself up 

 when alarmed. The Pill- Millipedes are short forms which roll 

 themselves into compact balls under similar circumstances. The 

 genus Glomeris is represented by British species. 



Fig. 245. British Millipedes 

 i, London Snake-Millipede (lulus Londinensis] ; 2, 3, Spotted 



Snake-Millipede (7w/^^*), natural size and enlarged; 4,5, 

 Earth Snake-Millipede (//* *r/w) and antenna of same, both 

 enlarged; 6, 7, Flattened Millipede (Polydesmus complanatus), 

 natural size and enlarged. 



Order 2. CENTIPEDES (Syngnatha or Chilopoda) 



Centipedes conform in the main to the description already 

 given of the common British form (Lithobius\ The large Centi- 



