Each segment has one pair of legs, and, depending on the species, they have between 15 and 181 pairs. Centipedes have one pair of antennae. Most have simple eyes, however, some have complex eyes and some have none at all. The most important senses are touch and smell.
Centipedes are predators, feeding on insects and small vertebrates, depending upon the species.
They subdue their prey with a mild venom issued from fangs called gnathopods. Gnathopods are actually modified legs. As a rule, the fewer legs a centipede has, the faster it can run. Three out of four centipede orders are designed to run. One order lives in the soil and gets around by expanding and contracting its body, similar to how an earthworm moves.