Difference Between Centipedes and Millipedes (Chilopoda Vs Diplopoda)

.Centipedes and millipedes are coming under the sub-phylum Myriapoda of the phylum Arthropoda.

Similarities of centipedes and millipedes

Ø  Both coming under the sub-phylum Myriapoda

Ø  All are terrestrial arthropods

Ø  Body divided into head and trunk

Ø  Bears many legs

Ø  Single pair of antennae

Ø  Sensory Tömösváry organs present below the antennae

Ø  Eyes simple

Ø  Mouth part lies on the underside of head

Ø  Upper lip of mouth with epistome and labrum

Ø  Lower lip of mouth with a pair of maxillae

Ø  A pair of mandibles present

Ø  Mandibles lie inside the mouth

Ø  Respiration through trachea

Ø  Breath through spiracles that connect tracheal system similar to insects

Ø  Excretion through malpighian tubules

Difference between Centipedes and Millipedes

	Character	Centipedes	Millipedes
1.	Common name	Hundred legged worms	Thousand legged worms
2.	Class	Chilopoda	Diplopoda
3.	Movement	Fast moving	Slow moving
4.	Feeding	Carnivorous prdators	Detritivorous feeders
5.	Poisonous	Poisonous	Usually non poisonous
6.	Maxillipeds	Maxillipeds present formed to prehensors (poison claws) to attack prays. Prehensors are modified legs of first body segment	Maxillipeds absent, Prehensors absent
7.	First Maxillae	First maxillae present	First maxillae lost
8.	Gnathochilarium	Absent	Present
9.	Mouth	Trignathic - with mandibles, first maxillae and second maxillae	Dignathic with mandibles and gnathochilarium
10.	Trunk segments	Mono-segmentic (each segment with single part)	Diplosegmentic (each segment formed by the fusion of two segments during development)
11.	Legs per segment	Each body segment bear single pair of legs	Each body segment bears two pairs of legs
12.	Leg position	Legs articulated laterally along the body	Legs articulated mid-ventrally with the body
13.	Visibility of legs	Legs spread out from the body	Legs in line with the body
14.	Spiracles	Spiracles located laterally, may be valvular and can be closed	Spiracles located ventrally, never be valvular and cannot be closed
15.	Number of genital openings	Opisthogoneate (single genital aperture open at the posterior end)	Progoneate (single genital aperture opens at the anterior end)
16.	Development	Direct or indirect	Direct

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