FaunaHub

Centipede (class Chilopoda)

InvertebrateMyriapodPredator

A large Scolopendra centipede showing its many legs.

Giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea).

Image: Katka Nemčoková, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

Centipedes (class Chilopoda) are elongated, fast-moving arthropods with many legs — but, contrary to the name, never exactly one hundred. They are myriapods, a group separate from insects and arachnids, and are active predators. The reference shown here is a large Scolopendra, among the biggest centipedes.

A key feature: centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment, which is the easiest way to tell them from the similar-looking millipedes (which have two pairs per segment). Just behind the head, a centipede's first pair of legs is modified into venomous claws used to seize prey.

Note: larger tropical centipedes can give a painful, medically significant bite, so wild centipedes should not be handled. This is an educational profile and does not provide medical or first-aid advice.

Habitat & Range

Centipedes are found worldwide, from tropical forests to deserts and temperate gardens. They favour dark, humid microhabitats — under stones, bark, logs, and leaf litter, or in soil — because they lose moisture easily and mostly hunt at night.

Diet

Centipedes are carnivores. They hunt insects, spiders, worms, and other small invertebrates, and the largest species can take small vertebrates such as lizards or rodents. They subdue prey with the venomous claws (forcipules) behind the head, then hold and consume it.

Behavior

Centipedes are quick and agile, using their many legs for rapid, coordinated movement as they search for prey in the dark. They are mostly solitary. Mothers in some groups guard their eggs and young. Like other arthropods, centipedes moult to grow, and some add leg-bearing segments as they develop.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Centipedes are valuable natural predators of insects and other small pests. Smaller house centipedes are harmless to people and even helpful, while large tropical species deserve respect because of their venomous bite. For any bite or reaction, follow professional and local medical guidance rather than this page. Consult authoritative sources for species details.

More photos of the centipede

A Scolopendra centipede with its segmented body and antennae.

Centipede (Scolopendra gigantea).

Image: Syrio, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions — Centipede

Do centipedes really have 100 legs?
No — the name is misleading. Centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment, and the total varies widely by species, but it is always an odd number of leg pairs and is rarely exactly fifty pairs (100 legs). Some have far fewer, others many more.
What's the difference between a centipede and a millipede?
The clearest difference is legs per segment: centipedes have one pair per segment and are fast predators with venomous claws, while millipedes have two pairs per segment, move slowly, and feed mostly on decaying plant matter. Centipedes are generally flatter and quicker; millipedes are more rounded.
Are centipedes dangerous to humans?
Small centipedes are harmless and even useful pest controllers. Large tropical species, however, can deliver a painful, medically significant bite, so they should not be handled. This page is educational only and does not provide medical advice — for any bite, seek appropriate local medical care.
What do centipedes eat?
Centipedes are carnivores that prey on insects, spiders, worms, and other small invertebrates, with the largest species taking small vertebrates. They capture prey using venomous claws (forcipules) located just behind the head.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.