Systematic Position
Kingdom: Animalia
Sub-kingdom: Eumetazoa
Super-phylum: Ecdysosoa
Phylum: Arthropoda
Sub-phylum: Myriapoda
Class 4 : Symphyla
Symphyla Characteristics
Ø Commonly called as garden centipedes or pseudo-centipedes
Ø Looks similar to centipedes
Ø Terrestrial soil dwelling arthropods
Ø Herbivorous detritus feeders
Symphyla Member (Wikipedia)
Ø They are translucent, lack body pigmentation
Ø Body is divided into head and trunk
Ø Juveniles have six pairs of legs
Ø Additional legs are added at each moult
Ø Eyes absent
Ø Antennae (sense organ) is long and segmented
Ø Three pairs of mouth parts
Ø The have labium similar to insects
Ø Mandibles, long first maxillae and second pair of maxillae form the labium (lower lip of mouth)
Ø Disc like “Organ of Tomosvary” present at the base of antennae
Ø Last body segment lack legs
Ø Last body segment processes a pair of cerci (similar to insects)
You may also like…
@. Myriapoda – General Characters
@. General Characters of Pauropoda
@. General Characters of Diplopoda
@. General Characters of Chilopoda
@. General Characters of Branchiopoda
@. Arthropoda: General Characters
@. Classification of Arthropods