We envision a resilient world dependent on the thoughtful cultivation of plants

Garden Allies: Myriapods

Articles: Garden Allies: Myriapods

In case you are a bit fuzzy on high school biology, the phylum Arthropoda (joint-footed) shares several notable features: exoskeletons of chitin, segmented bodies, and jointed limbs. The arthropod phylum is further divided into five subphyla—although arthropod relationships are currently undergoing revision based on molecular analyses. One subphylum, Trilobita, is extinct. Chelicerata includes the arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders; Hexapoda includes the insects and several other six-footed groups; and Crustacea includes roly-polys in addition to crabs, barnacles, brine shrimp, and a few other groups. Finally, there are the Myriapoda (many-footed), which includes the centipedes, millipedes, and symphylans.

In addition to having similar body segments and a single pair of antennae, Myriapods are distinguished by having, as you might expect, myriad legs. They lack the protective calcium-enhanced exoskeleton of the largely aquatic crustaceans, or the waxy cuticle of insects, and require a moist environment to survive. While the Diplopoda (pair-footed) and Chilopoda (lip-footed—more on that in a moment) look superficially similar, they are very different groups; Symphyla (wh...

READ THE WHOLE STORY


Join now to access new headline articles, archives back to 1977, and so much more.

Enjoy this article for FREE:

Voices of the West; New Science on Life in the Garden by Frederique Lavoipierre

If you are already a member, please log in using the form below.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Social Media

Garden Futurist Podcast

Most Popular

Videos

Topics

Related Posts

Powered By MemberPress WooCommerce Plus Integration

Your free newsletter starts here!

Don’t want to see this pop-up? Members, log-in here.

Why do we ask for your zip code?

We do our best to make our educational content relevant for where you garden.

Why do we ask for your zip code?

We do our best to make our educational content relevant for where you garden.

The information you provide to Pacific Horticulture is NEVER sold, shared, or rented to others.

Pacific Horticulture generally sends only two newsletters per Month.