Symphyla

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A class of small, soil-dwelling arthropods resembling centipedes, typically with a soft body and numerous legs
2. A group of segmented creatures found in terrestrial habitats, often contributing to soil aeration and decomposition
3. An order of myriapods characterized by a slender body and a number of legs that varies by species, playing a role in the ecosystem

Etymology: Symphyla is a scientific name, and its history is a matter of Greek roots rather than a long chain of English usage. It comes from Ancient Greek "sym-", meaning "together" or "with", and "phylon", meaning "tribe" or "race" (in the sense of a group of related things), a term that taxonomists borrowed for naming groups of organisms. The "-a" ending marks it as a plural name for a class or order, the same pattern used for many animal groups. The animals it names are tiny, pale, soft-bodied relatives of centipedes and millipedes, rarely longer than about 8 millimetres. Their name reflects the scientists who grouped them, who saw a link between these creatures and the other myriapods. Symphyla live in soil and leaf litter, feeding on decaying plant matter and root tips, and they are sometimes called garden centipedes, though they are not true centipedes.

Synonyms: garden centipedes, symphylan myriapods, soil arthropods, small myriapods, symphylan species