人們常把蜈蚣叫做百足蟲,在英語中它的名字centipede就是「有100條腿」的意思。那麼,蜈蚣真的有那麼多條腿嗎?這可不一定哦!
Scientists, whether intentionally, or unintentionally, tripped usupwhen they named the centipede, one of the oldest creaturesinexistence.
Yes, centipede really does mean 100-footed, and yes,somecentipedes actually do have 100 feet, but no, not all do. Infact,some centipedes have more than 100 feet, and some have as fewas30. Perhaps, mathematicians, not scientists, should have donethecalculations, and should have named this mr of thespeciesMyriapoda, Latin for many footed. Yes, the millipedealsobelongs to this ancient species, but does it really have1,000feet, as its name implies? Doubtful.
The centipede emerges from eggs, laid in the open, with eitherafull set of legs, or with a starter set of seven pairs, andplaysadd-a-pair each time it sheds its skin, until it reachesmaturity.These paired legs grow out of a segment of the centipedesflat,many jointed body, making them much easier to keep track of,andthe centipede less likely to stumble as he forages for foodbynight. The sheer number of legs, however, may present a problemforthe centipede by day, as it must safely tuck them in, whentakingcover under rocks or rotting wood.
The 8 to 10 tropical varieties of centipede have little to fearinthis regard, because this kind of centipede bears enough poisoninits two claws to kill a small bird. The claws containing thepoison,as with all other centipedes, are located, along with itstwofeelers, on the section next to the head.
(實習編輯:顧萍)