Centipede
centipede
{‘centi’ = a hundred; pede = legs}
a kind of worm-like soft-bodied crawling animal – (invertebrate – arthropod) – small with long, flattened, segmented (= like compartments of a train) body and a pair of legs on most of the segments – usually 15 pairs of legs; two long antennae on the head to find its way about; front pair of legs modified into (= changed into) poisonous claws or stings with which it kills its prey (= the small insects it eats); mostly night hunting; feeds on (eats) small earthworms, live insects, such as cockroaches, moths, spiders, house flies; grows to ½ an inch to 12 inches in length; lives up to six years; about 3,000 species (kinds) — estimated about 8,000 — found in damp (wet) places, like under the rocks, in leaf litter, rotting logs, and some, in burrows and the basements of houses, etc. all over the world
Special Features:
Though the name suggests “a hundred legs”, centipedes have only 15 pairs (30) to 177 pairs (354). And the interesting fact about the legs is that the pairs are always in odd number – 15, 23, 117, etc., and these legs can grow again when cut off or eaten up by their predators (= other animals that eat the centipedes); and, if fact, some kinds of centipede make a kind of sound with their legs to take the attention of their predators from the whole body so that they could escape with a couple of legs missing, though!
The Amazonian giant centipede is the largest centipede with 12 inches in length, and is known to eat small bats when they are flying.
Most of the species (kinds) have no eyes, some have only simple eyes. Only one species (kind) has compound eyes like those of the insects.
Some centipedes glow in the dark like the glow-worms!
Though the poisonous bite (sting) of a centipede is not very dangerous to people, it can cause severe pain and swilling, and the children may feel more severe pain and other effects.
[Millipedes and centipedes !?
Millipedes are plant eating and useful creatures; they do not bite! However, they give out a kind of poisonous fluid in defence which may cause some pain, itching or swelling to the part of an animal’s, including human’s, body that touched the fluid. On the contrary, centipedes are flesh eating, and harmful; they bite, and the bite can be very painful, and itchy. Immediate medical treatment is needed!]
Mr. Kumar, an English language teacher, having taught in many countries around the world including Ethiopia and Oman shares this English Language Reference website using material that he has written and compiled during the past 20 years.
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