6 Chilopoda – Digestive system

The alimentary canal of centipedes is a muscular tube for unidirectional passage of food from the mouth, which is located in the depth of a preoral chamber, towards the anus at the posterior end of the body. The main digestion and absorption of nutrients occur in the midgut, which produces chitinous peritrophic membranes enveloping the food. Pre-digestion in the foregut and/or preoral chamber by enzymes produced in the midgut and in various head glands is likely a common trait of centipedes. The foregut of centipedes is formed by a single-layered epithelium lined with cuticle and surrounded by inner longitudinal and outer circular muscle layers allowing peristaltic movement. The pharyngeal cuticle is thickened or sclerotized at the insertion of the dilator muscles. The transition from midgut to hindgut is indicated by the opening of the Malpighian tubules into the gut, the number of which varies from 2 to 4. Keywords:centipedes; digestive system; dilator muscles; foregut; hindgut; pre-digestion; preoral chamber