Symphyla
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
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Symphylans, also known as Garden Centipedes or Glasshouse Symphylans, are soil-dwelling arthropods of the Class Symphyla in the Subphylum Myriapoda. Symphylans resemble centipedes, but are smaller and translucent. They can move rapidly through the pores between soil particles, and typically are found from the surface down to a depth of about 50 cm. They consume decaying vegetation, but can do considerable harm in an agricultural setting by consuming seeds, roots, and root hairs in cultivated soil.
Juveniles have six pairs of legs, but, over a lifetime of several years, add an additional pair at each molt so that the adult instar has twelve pairs of legs. Lacking eyes, their long antennae serve as sense organs. About 160 species are known worldwide.
