Class of Subphylum Uniramia - Pauropoda

A small group of uniramians, there are 500 species of Pauropoda explained so far. The minute organisms computing about 1.5 mm in length live in leaf mold or in soil. The body is eleven segmented and nine of them bear a pair of legs each. The first and eleventh segments are legless. The tergal plates are extremely large, overlapping adjacent segments. The collum of Pauropoda is inconspicuous dorsally but expanded ventrally. The head bears on each side a sense organ similar to the organ of Tomosvary. The antennae are biramous. One branch ends in a single flagellum, and the other in two flagella and a club shaped sensory structure. Pauropods mainly feed on decomposing plant tissue. Heart and trachea are usually absent owing to the small size of the organism. The 3^rd trunk segment is the genital segment. Sperm transfer is indirect and through spermatophores. Development is anamorphic. For Example - Pauropus, Allopauropus.