Centipedes vs millipedes: Understanding their different body structures, behaviour, and roles in the environment
Centipedes and millipedes are frequently mistaken for one another due to their numerous legs and similar names, but they are quite different creatures. Centipedes have flat bodies with one pair of legs per segment and are fast-moving carnivores that hunt insects using venomous fangs.
In contrast, millipedes have cylindrical bodies with two pairs of legs per segment and are slow-moving detritivores that feed on decaying organic matter.
Centipedes use speed and venom to defend themselves, while millipedes curl up and may release irritating chemicals. Both play vital ecological roles: centipedes in pest control, and millipedes in soil health and decomposition.
Flat or cylindrical? How centipedes and millipedes differ in body structure
One of the most obvious distinctions between centipedes and millipedes lies in their body shapes and segment arrangements.
Centipedes:
Flat and agile predators
Source: Wikipedia
Centipedes have a flattened, elongated body made up of multiple segments. Each body segment bears one pair of legs that extend outward from the sides, giving centipedes a wide stance. This body design allows for quick, agile movement, making them efficient hunters of small insects and other arthropods.
Centipedes typically range in colour from yellowish to dark brown and have a sleek appearance that reflects their fast, predatory lifestyle.
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Millipedes:
Cylindrical and compact burrowers
Source: Wikipedia
In contrast, millipedes have a more rounded, cylindrical body. Their segments are more compact and each generally has two pairs of legs. This gives millipedes a denser, more robust look compared to the slender centipede.
Most millipedes have a dark brown or black coloration and move relatively slowly. When threatened, millipedes often curl into a tight spiral, protecting their softer undersides from predators.
Legs per segment
One of the key ways to distinguish between a centipede and a millipede is by looking closely at their legs:
Centipedes:
Have one pair of legs per body segment. Despite this, some centipede species can have over 300 legs in total, but always in an odd number of leg pairs. Their legs move quickly and help them chase down prey.
Millipedes:
Have two pairs of legs per body segment, resulting in many more legs overall. The legs move in a smooth, wave-like motion, ideal for steady progress through soil and decaying material.
This difference in leg count and movement reflects their very different lifestyles, predation versus decomposition.
Diet and feeding habits
Diet is another fundamental difference between centipedes and millipedes:
Centipedes are carnivores
Centipedes are fierce predators. They actively hunt and consume insects, spiders, silverfish, and small cockroaches. Using venomous fangs located near their mouths, they inject venom into their prey to immobilise or kill it quickly.
Because of their diet, centipedes can help control pest populations, even indoors.
Millipedes are detritivores
Millipedes feed mainly on decaying plant material, dead leaves, and other organic matter. They are important decomposers, breaking down complex organic substances into simpler compounds that enrich the soil. Millipedes only occasionally feed on living plants, usually when the plants are decaying or rotting.
Their diet helps maintain soil health and nutrient cycles, supporting the broader ecosystem.
Habitats and behaviour: Where you'll find them
Centipedes
Centipedes prefer moist, humid environments but are often found indoors, especially in bathrooms, basements, and other damp areas. Outside, they hide under rocks, mulch, logs, and leaf litter. Their fast movements make them difficult to catch, and they tend to avoid human contact.
Millipedes
Millipedes thrive in environments rich in organic matter.
You can commonly find them in gardens, compost heaps, forests, and under decaying logs. They prefer moist conditions and may enter homes after heavy rains or during cool weather in search of shelter.
Defense mechanisms
When threatened, centipedes and millipedes employ very different defense strategies:
Centipedes:
Can deliver a painful bite using their venomous forcipules (modified front legs). Their venom is not deadly to humans, but it can cause pain similar to a bee sting.
They also rely heavily on speed and hiding to evade threats.
Millipedes:
Lack venom but protect themselves by curling tightly into a spiral to shield their vulnerable undersides. Some millipede species can secrete irritating chemicals from glands along their bodies, deterring predators.
Lifecycle and reproduction: Growing their legs
Both centipedes and millipedes reproduce by laying eggs in the soil, but their development patterns differ:
Centipedes
lay eggs in soil or leaf litter.
Larvae hatch with fewer segments and legs and gain more as they molt and grow.
Millipedes
lay clusters of eggs underground. Their juveniles gradually develop new body segments and additional pairs of legs over successive molts until reaching adult size.
Environmental role: Predators and decomposers
Centipedes
help regulate insect populations, preventing pest outbreaks and contributing to natural pest control.
Millipedes
support nutrient cycling by decomposing dead plant material, improving soil structure, and fostering microbial life.
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