millepede
/'milipi:d/ Cách viết khác : (millipede) /'milipi:d/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A small, elongated, many-legged arthropod: A "millepede" is a type of invertebrate animal with a long, segmented, cylindrical body. Each body segment typically bears two pairs of legs. They are generally harmless, slow-moving creatures that feed on decaying plant material.
Usage
- The word "millepede" is used to refer to the animal itself. It is a standard noun.
- Example:
- Example: Millepedes are important for breaking down leaf litter in forests.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- The term is used in biological and zoological contexts to describe members of the class Diplopoda.
- "Millepede fauna": Refers to the population or variety of millepede species in a particular area.
- The study focused on the millepede fauna of the tropical rainforest.
Variants and Related Words
- Millipede: This is the more common modern spelling variant of "millepede". Both forms are correct and refer to the same animal.
- Diplopod: A scientific term for a millepede, referring to its characteristic of having two pairs of legs per segment.
Synonyms
- Arthropod: A broader biological category that includes millepedes, insects, spiders, and crustaceans.
- Detritivore: An organism that feeds on dead organic material, which describes the millepede's ecological role.
Related Phrases
- "To curl up like a millepede": An informal descriptive phrase for something coiling into a tight spiral, mimicking the millepede's defensive posture.
- The frightened snake curled up like a millepede.
Notes on Meaning
- It is important to distinguish a "millepede" from a "centipede". While both are many-legged arthropods, centipedes have one pair of legs per segment, are often flatter, and can be venomous predators. Millepedes are rounded, herbivorous/detritivorous, and non-venomous.
- The name "millepede" derives from Latin roots meaning "thousand feet", though no species has exactly a thousand legs.
Noun
- any of numerous herbivorous nonpoisonous arthropods having a cylindrical body of 20 to 100 or more segments most with two pairs of legs