| Palæos: |  |
Symphyla |
| INVERTEBRATES | Symphyla Home |
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| Palæos: | |
Symphyla |
| INVERTEBRATES | Symphyla Home |
| Page Back | Unit Home | Page Next | Page Up | Page Down | Arthropods | Cladogram |
These tiny myriapods generally resemble very small centipedes. The creatures are blind and colourless The mouthparts consist of a pair of mandibles and 2 pairs of maxillae. There are 12 leg-bearing trunk segments; with 6-7 pairs legs at birth and 12 pairs at maturity. Tracheal system anterior body only, with a single pair of spiracles on the head.
The terminal segment carries a pair of silk-producing spinnerets. Unlike centipedes, there are more tergites than segments.
The gonopore is on fourth segment. The spermatophore is deposited on the ground. The female collects it and stores it in the mouth. The egg is taken from gonopore to mouth and coated in sperm.
Symphylans are burrowers, living deep in the soil, often aggregated in large numbers (more than 5000 per square metre). There are about 160 living species. Length 2-10mm.
