Do millipedes really have 1000 legs?
No, millipedes do not have 1000 legs. The number of legs that a millipede has can vary depending on the species, but most millipedes have between 30 and 90 legs. The name millipede literally means a thousand feet, but this is a misnomer and not an accurate representation of their anatomy. Millipedes have elongated bodies with many segments, and each segment has two pairs of legs, which can give the appearance of having many legs. However, the number of legs is typically much less than 1000.
I see, then why are they called millipedes if it's inaccurate? Seems kinda odd if you ask me.
The origin of the name millipede is not entirely clear, but it is believed to have come from the Latin word mille, which means thousand, and pes, which means foot. The name millipede was likely a way of describing the many legs that millipedes have, even though the number of legs is not actually 1000. The name millipede has been used for many centuries, and it has become widely recognized, so it has stuck even though it is not entirely accurate. The name millipede is an example of a common misnomer that has become widely accepted, even though it is not entirely accurate.