CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What parts does a centipede's body consist of?

Centipede, also known as Tianlong, belongs to the Arthropoda, Myriapoda, Chilopoda, Scolopendra in animal classification. There are many types of centipedes, with 5,000 species in the world and more than 50 species in my country. The most common ones include the few-spined centipedes with few spines on each forelimb and the many-spined centipedes with many spines.

Regardless of the type of centipede, its body is flat dorsally and ventrally, and is divided into a head and a trunk. There is a pair of collective eyes on both sides of the back of the head, and each collective eye includes several simple eyes. There is a mouthpart on the ventral side of the head, which is the feeding organ of the centipede. The appendages of the head include a pair of antennae, a pair of large jaws and two pairs of small jaws. The head becomes the center of sensation and feeding. The trunk has 18 segments, and the long and short segments are spaced apart from each other. Each segment has a pair of appendages, called feet. It can be seen that the trunk becomes the center of movement. The first pair of legs is a well-developed maxillopedal, and the last segment has a pair of claws. There are poison glands in the claws, and there is a poison gland opening at the end of the claw. When biting people or animals, venom can be injected, which is called poison foot.

Another important feature of the centipede's body is its bony shell (exoskeleton). It is divided into a dorsal plate on the back and a ventral plate on the abdomen; the dorsal plate and ventral plate are connected by thin membranes on both sides. The shell not only protects the internal organs and prevents the body from evaporating and receiving stimulation, but also can complete various movements with the attached muscles. During the growth process of the centipede, once the shell is formed, it can no longer grow. Therefore, in order to continue to grow, the centipede must shed its skin during the growth process, shedding the old skin and replacing it with a new one, so that the centipede can grow rapidly.