Pauropodans

Pauropoda

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Pauropoda

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Pauropoda: /paʊˈrɒpədə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Pauropus huxleyi ventral EB1911 by Unknown authorUnknown author. Used under a Public domain license.

Pauropus huxleyi (Massachusetts, USA) by Gonzalo Giribet. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pauropus huxleyi by authors: Ralf Janssen, Nikola-Michael Prpic and Wim GM Damen. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pauropoda EB1911 by Unknown authorUnknown author. Used under a Public domain license.

A text-book of entomology, including the anatomy, physiology, embryology and metamorphoses of insects, for use in agricultural and technical schools and colleges as well as by the working entomologist (14800304333) by Internet Archive Book Images. Used under a No restrictions license.

Summary

Pauropoda is a class of small, pale, millipede-like arthropods characterized by their soft bodies, eyeless nature, and distinctive leg count. They inhabit soil and leaf mold, playing significant roles in the ecosystem as decomposers.

Physical Characteristics

Pauropods are soft, cylindrical animals measuring 0.3 to 2 mm in length, with three-pronged antennae. They are eyeless and lack hearts, but have light-detecting sensory organs and five pairs of long sensory hairs (trichobothria). Typically white or brown, adults have 8-11 pairs of legs, while hatchlings begin life with 3 pairs of legs.

Identification Tips

Pauropods can be identified by their distinctive anal plate, which varies among species, and the branching biramous segmented antennae unique to this group.

Habitat

Pauropods live in soil and leaf mold, usually in densities of less than 100 per square metre. They can be found under debris and leaf litter and occasionally migrate through the soil based on moisture levels.

Distribution

Pauropoda is found worldwide with approximately ~840 species in twelve families.

Diet

Pauropods feed on mold, fungi, and occasionally the root hairs of plants.

Life Cycle

Pauropods are gonochoric, with fertilization occurring when females utilize sperm packets deposited on the ground by males. Juveniles undergo a series of molts, starting with three pairs of legs and typically adding legs through successive instars before reaching adulthood.

Reproduction

Females deposit fertilized eggs on the ground. Some species may exhibit parthenogenesis under unfavorable conditions.

Ecosystem Role

Pauropods play a role in soil ecology by feeding on fungi and mold, contributing to the nutrient cycle.

Evolution

Pauropoda is closely related to millipedes and possibly Symphyla. It contains two orders: Hexamerocerata and Tetramerocerata, with the latter being more diverse. One fossil species has been reported: Eopauropus balticus.