millipédákkal

Millipedes are arthropods belonging to the class Diplopoda. The name "millipede" literally translates to "thousand feet," though no species is known to have a thousand legs. Instead, they possess a characteristic body plan with two pairs of legs on most body segments, a feature that distinguishes them from centipedes, which have only one pair per segment. Millipedes are elongated, cylindrical, and slow-moving creatures found in a variety of terrestrial habitats, typically in damp environments such as under rocks, logs, leaf litter, and in soil. Their diet primarily consists of decaying organic matter, making them important detritivores in their ecosystems.

The body of a millipede is divided into three main parts: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. The head bears antennae, mouthparts, and simple eyes. The thorax is short and comprises only three segments, each with one pair of legs. The abdomen is the longest section and contains the majority of the body segments, each bearing two pairs of legs. This doubled leg arrangement on abdominal segments is due to the fusion of two ancestral segments. Millipedes lack venomous fangs; instead, they rely on their tough exoskeleton and, in some species, defensive secretions. When threatened, many millipedes will curl into a tight spiral, protecting their vulnerable underside. Reproduction in millipedes typically involves the male transferring sperm to the female, often using modified legs or appendages. The eggs are usually laid in soil or decaying vegetation, and the young hatch with only a few segments and pairs of legs, adding more segments and legs as they molt and grow.