myriapods – a group of arthropods with long segmented bodies and many legs

(Pronounced mih-ree-uh-pod)

Note: The best example of myriapods are millipedes and centipedes.

To remember the meaning of myriapods, associate it with centipede, 'many legs', and use the following mnemonic:

Using it as a mirror, it looked into the rear of the iPod (myriapod) and the centipede could see its many legs. 

Myriapods are a diverse group of terrestrial arthropods characterised by having elongated, segmented bodies with many pairs of jointed legs, which distinguishes them from other arthropod groups like insects, arachnids and crustaceans. The name "Myriapods" literally means "many feet", the number of which depends on the species, but millipedes have been found with over 1,000 legs. 

Like all arthropods, myriapods have an external exoskeleton for protection which must be malted as they grow. The group includes two main classes: centipedes, which are carnivorous predators with one pair of legs per body segment and modified front legs that act as venomous fangs for capturing prey, and millipedes, which are typically herbivorous with two pairs of legs per segment and feed upon decaying plant material, fungi, and organic matter in soil, playing an important role in nutrient recycling and decomposition within their habitats.