A class of the Myriapoda. Pauropods are small creatures, 0.3–2.0 mm (0.012–0.08 in.) in length, whitish or brownish in color, that inhabit moist soil and the lower litter layer. They also can be found under bark and moss. Adults have 8–11 pairs of legs and unique forked antennae. The head and tergites (dorsal plates covering the somites) of Pauropoda are provided with setae or protuberances that vary considerably in shape. They can be filiform (filament-like or thread-like), shield-like, globular, or tuft-like. Superficially, pauropods may resemble insects, such as collembolans, but they have a diverging and distinctive locomotory pattern. They can elongate their body or shorten it by contraction to a very high degree. They also are swift, with their movements characterized by rapid rushes and frequent abrupt changes in direction.