| Ultimate legs | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Synonyms | Anal legs, caudal legs, terminal legs |
| Origins | Legs |
| Function | Varied: defensive postures, mating rituals, anchoring |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Ultimate legs are a pair of modified rear legs unique to centipedes. Although they do not aid in locomotion, ultimate legs are used for a variety of uses, and their morphology varies accordingly.
Sexual dimorphism is frequently present.[1][2][3][4]
- ^ Kenning, Matthes; Schendel, Vanessa; Müller, Carsten H. G.; Sombke, Andy (2019-01-14). "Comparative morphology of ultimate and walking legs in the centipede Lithobius forficatus (Myriapoda) with functional implications". Zoological Letters. 5 (1): 3. doi:10.1186/s40851-018-0115-x. ISSN 2056-306X. PMC 6330759. PMID 30656061.
- ^ Kronmüller, Christian; Lewis, John G. J. (2015-06-30). "On the function of the ultimate legs of some Scolopendridae (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha)". ZooKeys (510): 269–278. Bibcode:2015ZooK..510..269K. doi:10.3897/zookeys.510.8674. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 4523778. PMID 26257548.
- ^ Kenning, Matthes; Müller, Carsten H. G.; Sombke, Andy (2017-11-14). "The ultimate legs of Chilopoda (Myriapoda): a review on their morphological disparity and functional variability". PeerJ. 5: e4023. doi:10.7717/peerj.4023. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 5691793. PMID 29158971.
- ^ Sombke, Andy; Müller, Carsten H. G. (Apr 2021). "When SEM becomes a deceptive tool of analysis: the unexpected discovery of epidermal glands with stalked ducts on the ultimate legs of geophilomorph centipedes". Frontiers in Zoology. 18 (1): 17. doi:10.1186/s12983-021-00402-3. ISSN 1742-9994. PMC 8056527. PMID 33879192.