Centipedes

The word “centipede” comes from Latin and means “hundred feet,” though most centipedes don’t actually have exactly 100 legs!

Centipedes belong to the class Chilopoda, which includes over 3,000 different species found worldwide!

The oldest known centipede fossil is around 420 million years old, making centipedes one of the earliest land-dwelling animals!

Despite their name, centipedes can have anywhere from 15 to 191 pairs of legs, always in odd numbers!

Baby centipedes are called “larvae,” “nymphs,” or “stadia,” and they’re born with fewer legs than their parents!

Centipedes can be found on every continent except Antarctica, making them one of the most widespread creature groups on Earth!

The average garden centipede lives for about 5–6 years, but some species can live up to 10 years in captivity!

All centipedes are carnivores, which means they only eat other animals like insects, spiders, and worms!

There’s no special name for male or female centipedes – they’re simply called male centipedes and female centipedes!