Myriapoda means 10,000 legs, which is taking poetic license. But all myriapods do have
elongated, many-segmented bodies and a large number of legs. The body segments are not
fused together and each has either one or two pairs of legs. One pair of preoral antennae are
present. There is a single pair of mandibles and 1 or 2 pairs of maxillae (jaws). Growth is
anamorphic (i.e. adding segments and legs with successive molts). The eyes (ocelli) are
primitive. Reproduction is usually by indirect sperm transfer. The uppermost segment (coxa pl:
coxae) of each leg has a single articulation with the body. The Myriapoda were among the first
animal life to colonize the land. They are susceptible to desiccation, and so inhabit moist areas.
Usually nocturnal.
(Fuente: www.palaeos.com)
