- Pauropoda
-
Common names: pauropods
Probability of encounter: medium
Quarantine importance: no known importance.
Similarity to mites: none other than small size. The presence of a head with trifurcate antennae and a trunk with repeated leg-bearing segments should distinguish pauropods from mites.
Body tagmata: head, trunk
Eyes: absent
Antennae: bifurcate (triflagellate), branches terminating in 1 and 2 flagella
Mouthparts: entognathous mandibles, maxillae
Legs: 3-11 pairs (8 pairs normal in adults)
Respiration: cuticular
Gonopore: venter of 3rd trunk segment
Distinguishing features: myriapod form; triflagellate antennae; paired marginal trichobothria on 5 trunk segments.
Comments: Pauropods have a head with bifurcate antennae bearing 3 flagella. The antennae have a 4-6 segmented stalk with 2 distal branches. One branch bears two annulate flagella on either side of a sensory structure resembling a ball in a spiny cup (globulus). The other branch has a single annulate flagellum. The trunk is 12-segmented in the adult. Vestigial limbs may be present on the 1st segment, but no limbs are found on last segment. Adults have 8-11 pairs of legs and the gonopores between 2nd pair of legs. Legs are 5-segmented and end in a large median + 2 small lateral claws or a lobed pad + a median claw or a single claw.
Tree of Life - http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Pauropoda&contgroup=Arthropoda