Class Diplopoda
Millipedes
| Size: Medium, under 10 cm | Antennae: One short pair |
| Diet: Vegetation and decaying matter | Mouthparts: Mandibles |
| Habitat: Under leaf litter, tree bark, and rocks | Legs: Thirty or more pairs of legs, with one pair per segment; it appears to be two pairs per segment due to millipedes' fused segments |
| Morphology: Young are born from eggs with only three segments and add segments as they grow; otherwise, they are very similar in appearance to adults | Front Wings: Not present |
| Segmentation: Possess a head and a trunk; the segments of the trunk are fused in pairs | Hind Wings: Not present |
| Distinctive Characteristics and Behaviors: Millipedes have a cylindrical body. They curl up to protect themselves when they are attacked. They can secrete a cyanide-like substance when threatened to ward off attackers. |
Kickapoo IL, 9-29-02, D. Stone
Kickapoo IL, 9-29-02, D. Stone
Champaign IL, 10-13-02, R. Sandretto
