1. A small arthropod of the class Pauropoda, resembling a centipede but with fewer legs and a shorter body, typically found in soil and leaf litter.
Usage: zoology; technical

Examples

• Pauropods are tiny soil-dwelling arthropods that play a role in decomposition.
• The pauropod has between 9 and 11 pairs of legs, fewer than a centipede.
• Scientists discovered several new pauropod species in the rainforest.
• Pauropods are often overlooked because of their small size and hidden habitat.
• The pauropod belongs to the same phylum as insects and spiders.