Diploda or Diplopoda is the scientific name of the MillipedesMillipedesaresegmentedinsectsthatarebornwithonlyfoursegmentsbutastheygrowtheymoltandloosetheirexoskeleton.The;irstfewsegmentshavenolegsandsomeafterhaveonly1setoflegs.Asthemillipedegrowsandshedsitsexoskeletonitdigestsitandusesitforenergy.

TransportMillipede move thanks to a series of many short legs that propel the body forward. A millipede has a very small digestive track that

allows it to obtain and use the nutrition if gets from its diet.

NutritionMost millipedes are herbivorous, and feed on decomposing plant material. A few species are omnivorous or carnivorous, and may prey on smaller arthropods, such as insects and centipedes, or on earthworms. Some species have piercing mouthparts that allow them to feed on plant juices.

ReproductionMale millipedes can be differentiated from female millipedes by the presence of one or two pairs of legs modified into gonopods. These modified legs are usually on the seventh segment. A few species are parthenogenetic, having few, if any, males.

Millipedes can lay between 10 and 300 eggs at a time.

Response to stimuliMillipedes can protect themselves from danger by curling into a ball that and often secret toxic chemicals. Millipedes have a pair of antennae to help with scenery but also have sight and feeling.

AdaptationMillipedes have the ability to grow extra segments to adapt to the changing environment. With the extra segments the millipede can move more easily and swiftly.

RespirationMillipedesbreathethroughtwopairsofspiracles(Spiraclesaresmallopeningsonthesurfaceofsomeanimalsthatusuallyleadtorespiratorysystems.)oneachdiplosegment(segmentwith2setsoflegs).Eachopensintoaninternalpouch,andconnectstoasystemoftracheae.

Diploda/ Diplopoda

By: Jonathan Smeal

Millipedes Cont.RegulationMillipedes maintain homeostasis by regulating its ingestion of plant matter and dead and decaying plant life.

Place in food chainMillipedes are relatively low in the food chain due to the fact that they only eat dead and decaying matter. The carnivorous millipedes are slightly higher.

Background of groupAll millipedes are segmented (to a degree) in the same way, some just have different numbers of segments. A low segmented millipede is the European Pill Millipede as shown below. Millipedes also have similar body segmentations as the centipedes, other than the fact that centipedes only have 1 set of legs per segment.

Similar organismsThere are over 140 different families of millipedes stretched all across the globe to places even humans couldn’t survive. Some millipedes are even found at the poles of the earth.

“Oddball”The “Oddball” of the millipedes is the Pill Millipedes from Europe and the Philippine's.

SymmetryMillipedes all for the most part have bilateral symmetry meaning that they could be cut in half horizontally and be mirror images.

Extinct or EndangeredTwo examples of extinct millipedes are Cylindroiulus caeruleoinctus and Iulus scanicus

Importance to humansMillipedes are used in the composting process. Millipedes ingest the excess dead and decaying plant material to fertilize the soil.

Interesting FactsMillipedes due to their gentle nature and lack of the ability to bite or pinch and their simple diet have been known to make great pets. Although Millipede in Latin means “thousand legs” they usually only have between 36 and 400 legs.

Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millipedehttp://www.answers.com/topic/diplopoda-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiraclehttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091011023641AAZlAvehttp://blog.ecosmart.com/wp-content/millipede_small.jpg