Centipedes
and
Millipedes
Toxins
Presented by:
Dy, Alejandro
Labasan, Kristin
III-BSCT
MILLIPEDES
Millipedes
• best
protected of arthropods.
• possess
defensive glands, in the form of
integumental sacs arranged segmentally
along the length of the body, from which
they discharge such diverse toxins:
 1,4-benzoquinones, phenols, hydrogen
cyanide, quinazolinones, and alkaloids.
• the
large 1,4-benzoquinone-discharging
members of the orders Spirobolida and
Spirosteptida, can eject their secretion in
copious amounts in response to even mild
provocation.
Millipedes
• Millipedes
belong to the subphylum
Myriapoda, along with the centipedes,
symphylans and pauropods.
• As
their name suggests, myriapods have
a 'myriad of legs'.
• Millipedes
(Class Diplopoda) are
different from the other classes of
Myriapods in that they have two pairs of
legs for each body segment.
• Centipedes
Millipedes
are carnivorous and primarily
use their poison claws for venom delivery
while hunting prey.
• Millipedes,
on the other hand, are
detritivores - they eat rotting leaves and
other plant material and thus play a pivotal
role in nutrient recycling within soils.
• Thus,
there was never a need to evolve any
venom-delivery mechanism.
• Millipedes
have, however, developed their
own ways to defend themselves from
would-be predators.
Millipedes
(Narceus gordanus)
Millipedes
(Chicobolus spinigerus)
Millipedes
(Rhinocricus padbergi)
CENTIPEDES
Centipedes
•
•
•
A speedy, carnivorous invertebrate , found
generally around decaying matter all around the
world.
Centipedes are not only carnivorous animals but
the bite of the centipede also contains venom
which means that the centipede kills it's prey
before eating it.
Despite their name, and the common
conception that a centipede has 100 legs, this is
in fact not true. The centipede has pairs of legs
that run the length of the body of the centipede,
which are normally between 15 and 30 pairs of
legs in total and not 50.
Centipedes
•
•
•
There are thought to be around 8,000 species of
centipede worldwide, although only about 3,000
have actually been properly documented and
undergone intense studying in the scientific world.
Millipedes have two pairs, while centipedes bear
one pair per segment, with the first pair of legs
being modified into fangs.
Centipedes are generally flattened and have a
pair of well developed antennae on the head.
Centipedes
(Scutigera coleoptrataLinnaeus)
Centipedes
(Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae)
Centipedes
•
•
•
According to Google Search, the toxin of
Centipede is composed of histamine,
Hyaluronidase (hyaluronan-degrading enzyme),
saccharase, serotonin, protein-degrading
enzyme and so on.
Generally the protein and the enzyme are weak
against heat.
So the enzyme toxin of the Centipede can be
deactivated by thermal denaturation. The
thermal denaturation temperature may be
about 42℃ (degrees centigrade).
Centipedes
•
•
Centipede stings occur in the warmer climates
throughout the world and their painful results
have been known for centuries.
The centipede venom is toxic to both mammals
and insects.
TOXINS
Hyaluronidase
Protease
BITES
Symptoms
If the millipede/centipede toxin gets on the skin,
symptoms may include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Staining of the skin (turns brown)
Intense burning or itching of skin
Headache, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, palpitation,
Blisters
If the millipede/centipede toxin gets in the eyes,
symptoms may include:
Blindness (rare)
Inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelids
(conjunctivitis)
Inflammation of the cornea (keratitis)
Treatment
Home Care
• Wash the exposed area
with plenty of soap and
water.
• Do NOT use alcohol to
wash the area. Wash
eyes with plenty of
water if any toxin gets in
them.
• Seek immediate
medical attention.
• Tell the health care
provider if any toxin got
in the eyes.
References
1. http://www.neo-tech-lab.co.uk/How_to_treat-Centipede-Bite_EN.htm
2. http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg379.html