Centipedes belong to the insect Class Chilopoda. They are venomous, fast-moving, predatory terrestrial arthropods possessing long bodies with numerous jointed legs. These arthropods are nocturnal. Centipedes are widely spread in temperate zones but are primarily found in regions with tropical climates. Some of these centipedes have very deadly venom (can cause human death) which are released in their claws. Because of this, centipedes have a mythical connection to the world of the dead.

Centipede comes from the Latin words centum (hundred) and ped (foot). Contrary to the Latin equivalent of their names, centipedes usually have around half that number of legs. However, there is that small probability that you can find centipedes with over 200 legs. You can further visualize the legs using a microscope.