Centipede vs. Millipede — What's the Difference?

Characterized by its many-legged appearance and predatory habits.

A slow-moving detritivore with a long, cylindrical body, each body segment having two pairs of legs.

A creature with a pair of elongated mandibles, which are used to deliver venom.

Often kept as pets or used in educational settings due to their harmless nature and interesting physiology.

An invertebrate known for its speed and venomous bite, used to kill or paralyze its prey.

An arthropod that feeds on organic matter and contributes to soil health.

Notable for its ability to regenerate lost segments and legs.

Known for its defensive strategy of releasing a harmless but foul-smelling liquid.

A predatory arthropod with a long, segmented body, each segment bearing a single pair of legs.

Features a segmented body that can be quite long, with some species having hundreds of legs.

Centipedes (from the New Latin prefix centi-, "hundred", and the Latin word pes, pedis, "foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek χεῖλος, kheilos, lip, and New Latin suffix -poda, "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, an arthropod group which also includes millipedes and other multi-legged creatures. Centipedes are elongated metameric creatures with one pair of legs per body segment.

Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name being derived from this feature. Each double-legged segment is a result of two single segments fused together.

Any of various predatory arthropods of the class Chilopoda, having a long flattened body composed of segments, each bearing a pair of jointed appendages. The appendages of the foremost body segment are modified into venomous claws. Also called chilopod.

Any of various arthropods of the class Diplopoda, having a cylindrical segmented body with two pairs of legs attached to each segment except for the first four thoracic segments, and feeding chiefly on decaying organic matter. Also called diplopod.

Any arthropod of class Chilopoda, which have a segmented body with one pair of legs per segment and from about 20 to 300 legs in total.

Any of many elongated arthropods, of the class Diplopoda, with cylindrical bodies that have two pairs of legs for each one of their 20 to 100 or more body segments.

A species of the Myriapoda; esp. the large, flattened, venomous kinds of the order Chilopoda, found in tropical climates. they are many-jointed, and have a great number of feet.

Any of numerous herbivorous nonpoisonous arthropods having a cylindrical body of 20 to 100 or more segments most with two pairs of legs

Chiefly nocturnal predacious arthropod having a flattened body of 15 to 173 segments each with a pair of legs the foremost being modified into poison fangs

The primary difference is in their body structure and number of legs per segment—centipedes have one pair per segment, while millipedes have two pairs.

Both prefer moist environments; centipedes are often found under stones or logs, while millipedes may burrow in soil or leaf litter.

Centipedes are carnivorous and primarily eat insects, small vertebrates, and other arthropods.

Centipedes use their venomous claws to inject toxins into predators or prey as a form of defense.

Millipedes typically curl into a tight coil to protect their vulnerable undersides.

Millipedes help decompose dead plant material, enriching the soil and recycling nutrients.

Lifespans vary, but many species live for several years, with some millipedes living up to 10 years or more.

Centipedes can bite and are venomous, which might be painful but is rarely dangerous to humans. Millipedes are harmless, though their defensive secretions can irritate the skin.

Yes, centipedes are significantly faster, using their speed to hunt prey, while millipedes move slowly.

Yes, both species lay eggs, though their reproductive habits and care for young can vary.

Yes, some people keep centipedes as pets, but they require careful handling due to their potential to bite.

Look at the number of legs per segment and the body shape—centipedes are flatter with fewer legs, and millipedes are more rounded with more legs.

The many legs help millipedes navigate through their environment and burrow into the soil.

Centipedes capture prey by quickly seizing them with their legs and then delivering a venomous bite.

A common misconception is that millipedes have exactly a thousand legs and that all centipedes are extremely dangerous. Neither of these is true.