# List of animals by number of legs

The following is a list of selected animals in order of increasing number of legs, from 0 legs to 653 pairs of legs, the maximum recorded in the animal kingdom. Each entry provides the relevant taxa up to the rank of phylum. Each entry also provides the common name of the animal. If the relevant taxon includes different animals with different common names, then the entry provides the common name of a familiar example.
If juveniles have fewer legs than adults, then the animal is listed by the number of legs recorded in mature adults. If this number varies among adults within the taxon, then this variation is described in parenthetical note. In counting legs, this list follows the conventions adopted in the relevant literature. For example, millipedes with gonopods are listed by numbers that exclude leg pairs that become gonopods.
Animals have been selected so that each number from 0 to 55 leg pairs has one example listed. Each of these examples is listed by a number closely associated with the relevant taxon, either because that number is the one most commonly observed in that taxon or because it is one of only a few numbers recorded for the taxon. Beyond 55 leg pairs, intraspecific variation in leg number increases, and the association between species and any particular number breaks down. Beyond 55 leg pairs, examples are listed only if they represent especially significant maximum numbers (e.g., most legs in the animal kingdom) or exhibit relatively little intraspecific variation in leg number.
This list draws examples from three broad groups of animals: tetrapods (with 0 to 2 leg pairs, providing three examples), velvet worms (with 13 to 43 leg pairs, providing ten examples), and arthropods (with 3 to 653 leg pairs, providing all the other examples). Four classes of arthropods each provide multiple examples, including sea spiders (with 4 to 6 leg pairs, providing two examples) and pauropods (adults with 8 to 11 leg pairs, providing four examples), but most of the examples listed are either millipedes (adults with 11 to 653 leg pairs) or centipedes (adults with 15 to 191 leg pairs). Most of the millipede examples come from two orders, Polydesmida (flat-backed millipedes, providing four examples) and Chordeumatida (sausage millipedes, providing eight examples), each with some variation in leg number among species but little variation within species. Nearly all of the centipede examples come from only one order, Geophilomorpha (soil centipedes), which exhibits wide variation in leg number among species (from 27 to 191 leg pairs). Nearly all of the examples from the order Geophilomorpha come from three families of soil centipedes (Mecistocephalidae, Schendylidae, and Geophilidae) that exhibit relatively little intraspecific variation in leg number.

## List of animals by number of legs

0 legs: Serpentes (suborder), Squamata (order), Reptilia (class), Tetrapoda (superclass), Vertebrata (subphylum), Chordata (phylum); snake
1 pair: Aves (class), Tetrapoda (superclass), Vertebrata (subphylum), Chordata (phylum); bird
2 pairs: Tetrapoda (superclass), Vertebrata (subpylum), Chordata (phylum); e.g., mammal (2 in most species; some taxa deviate from this number)
3 pairs: Hexapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); e.g., ant
4 pairs: Arachnida (class), Chelicerata (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); e.g., spider
5 pairs: Decolopoda (genus), Colossendeidae (family), Pantopoda (order), Pycnogonida (class), Chelicerata (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sea spider
6 pairs: Dodecolopoda mawsoni (monotypic genus & species), Colossendeidae (family), Pantopoda (order), Pycnogonida (class), Chelicerata (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sea spider
7 pairs: Isopoda (order), Malacostraca (class), Crustacea (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); e.g., woodlouse (7 in most species; some taxa deviate from this number)
8 pairs: Zygopauropus hesperius (monotypic genus & species), Brachypauropodidae (family), Tetramerocerata (order), Pauropoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); pauropod
9 pairs: Tetramerocerata (order), Pauropoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); pauropod (9 in most species; some taxa deviate from this number)
10 pairs: Decapauropus cuenoti (genus & type species), Pauropodidae (family), Tetramerocerata (order), Pauropoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); pauropod (9 or 10 in females, usually 9; 9 in males)
11 pairs: Hexamerocerata (order), Pauropoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); pauropod
12 pairs: Symphyla (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); symphylan (12 in most species; some taxa deviate from this number)
13 pairs: Polyxenida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); bristly millipede (13 in most species; some taxa deviate from this number)
14 pairs: Ooperipatellus nickmayeri (genus & species), Peripatopsidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm
15 pairs: Scutigeromorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); house centipede
16 pairs: Peripatoides suteri (genus & species), Peripatopsidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm
17 pairs: Glomerida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); northern pill millipede (17 in females; 19 in males, including 1 pair or 2 pairs of telopods)
18 pairs: Peripatopsis alba (genus & species), Peripatopsidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm
19 pairs: Typhloperipatus williamsoni (monotypic genus & species), Peripatidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm (19 or 20 in males, usually 19; 20 in females) (minimum in family)
20 pairs: Peripatopsis collarium (genus & species), Peripatopsidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm
21 pairs: Sphaerotheriida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); giant pill millipede (21 in females; 23 in males, including 2 pairs of telopods)
22 pairs: Metaperipatus inae (genus & species), Peripatopsidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm (22 in females; 20 in males)
23 pairs: Scolopocryptopidae (family), Scolopendromorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); bark centipede
24 pairs: Eoperipatus totoro (genus & species), Peripatidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm (24 in females; 23 in males)
25 pairs: Eoperipatus horsti (genus & species), Peripatidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm (24 or 25 in females; 23 or 24 in males, usually 23)
26 pairs: Deharvengius bedosae (monotypic genus & species), Trichopolydesmidae (family), Polydesmida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); flat-backed millipede (26 in males, excluding 1 pair of gonopods; 27 in females)
27 pairs: Schendylops ramirezi (genus & species), Schendylidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (27 in males; 29 in females) (minimum in order)
28 pairs: Brachydesmus superus (genus & species), Polydesmidae (family), Polydesmida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); flat-backed millipede (28 in males, excluding 1 pair of gonopods; 29 in females)
29 pairs: Dinogeophilus oligopodus (genus & species), Schendylidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
30 pairs: Polydesmida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); flat-backed millipede (usually 30 in males, excluding 1 pair of gonopods; usually 31 in females; some taxa deviate from these numbers)
31 pairs: Schendyla antici (genus & species), Schendylidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (31 in females; 29 in males)
32 pairs: Devillea tuberculata (genus & type species), Xystodesmidae (family), Polydesmida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); flat-backed millipede (32 in males, excluding 1 pair of gonopods; 35 in females)
33 pairs: Geophilus richardi (genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (33 in females; 29 or 31 in males, usually 31)
34 pairs: Mongeperipatus solorzanoi (genus & species), Peripatidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm (34 in males; 39 to 41 in females, usually 41)
35 pairs: Escaryus molodovae (genus & species), Schendylidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
36 pairs: Glomeridesmida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); slug millipede (usually 36 in females; usually 35 in males, including 1 pair of telepods; some taxa deviate from these numbers)
37 pairs: Escaryus hirsutus (genus & species), Schendylidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (37 or 39 in each sex)
38 pairs: Epiperipatus titanicus (genus & species), Peripatidae (family), Onychophora (phylum); velvet worm (36 to 38 in males; 36 to 39 in females)
39 pairs: Escaryus polygonatus (genus & species), Schendylidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
40 pairs: Chamaesoma broelemanni (monotypic genus & species), Chamaesomatidae (family), Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (40 in males, excluding 2 pairs of gonopods; 42 in females)
41 pairs: Nannarrup (genus), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
42 pairs: Xystrosoma santllorence (genus & species), Chamaesomatidae (family), Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (42 in females; 40 in males, excluding 2 pairs of gonopods)
43 pairs: Dicellophilus carniolensis (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
44 pairs: Haasea hungarica (genus & species), Haaseidae (family), Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (44 in males, excluding 2 pairs of gonopods; 46 in females)
45 pairs: Mecistocephalus nannocornis (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
46 pairs: Lipseuma (genus), Kashmireumatidae (family), Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (46 in females; 44 in males, excluding 2 pairs of gonopods)
47 pairs: Mecistocephalus angusticeps (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
48 pairs: Tianella (genus), Entomobielziidae (family), Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (usually 48 in females; usually 46 in males, excluding 2 pairs of gonopods; some species deviate from these numbers)
49 pairs: Mecistocephalus (genus), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (49 in most species; some species deviate from this number)
50 pairs: Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (usually 50 in females; usually 48 in males, excluding 2 pairs of gonopods; some taxa deviate from these numbers)
51 pairs: Mecistocephalus evansi (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
52 pairs: Metamastigophorophyllon (genus), Anthroleucosomatidae (family), Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (52 in females; 50 in males, excluding 2 pairs of gonopods)
53 pairs: Krateraspis sselivanovi (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
54 pairs: Neocambrisoma raveni (genus & type species), Metopidiotrichidae (family), Chordeumatida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); sausage millipede (54 in females; 51 in males, excluding three pairs modified as gonopods or paragonopods) (maximum in class fixed by species)
55 pairs: Mixophilus indicus (monotypic genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (55 or 57 in males; 57 in females)
57 pairs: Mecistocephalus diversisternus (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (57 or 59 in each sex)
59 pairs: Mecistocephalus smithii (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede
61 pairs: Mairata itatiaiensis (genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (61 in males; 63 in females)
63 pairs: Mecistocephalus japonicus (genus & species), Mecistocephalidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (63 or 65 in each sex)
65 pairs: Aphilodon bahianus (genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (63 or 65 in each sex)
67 pairs: Aphilodon silvestrii (genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (67, 69, or 71 in females; 69 in males)
69 pairs: Schendylops demelloi (genus & species), Schendylidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (69 in males; 69 or 71 in females, usually 71)
71 pairs: Geoperingueyia crabilli (genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (71 in males; 71, 73, or 75 in females, usually 73)
73 pairs: Aphilodon pereirai (genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (73 or 75 in males; 73, 75, or 77 in females)
75 pairs: Stenotaenia asiaeminoris (genus & species), Geophilidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (75 in males; 77 or 79 in females)
191 pairs: Gonibregmatus plurimipes (genus & species), Gonibregmatidae (family), Geophilomorpha (order), Chilopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); soil centipede (based on one specimen) (maximum in class)
653 pairs: Eumillipes persephone (monotypic genus & species), Siphonotidae (family), Polyzoniida (order), Diplopoda (class), Myriapoda (subphylum), Arthropoda (phylum); camphor millipede (499 to 653 in females; 389 to 409 in males) (maximum in kingdom)