The difference between arthropods and insects (detailed introduction)

Arthropoda is one of the largest phyla in the animal kingdom, including insects, spiders, crustaceans, isopods and other groups. Here are the detailed differences between arthropods and insects:

Body structure: The body of arthropods is usually divided into several segments, each segment has a pair of appendages, such as legs, antennae, mouthparts, etc. Insects are a subphylum under the phylum Arthropods. They have three obvious body segment structures: head, thorax and abdomen. The head has a pair of antennae and a pair of compound eyes. The thorax has three pairs of legs and usually one or two pairs of wings. The abdomen There are no obvious joints and appendages on the top.

Periodic shedding: Insects are characterized by periodic shedding, that is, their exoskeletons are constantly shed and regenerated as they grow. This allows the insect to gradually grow and adapt to environmental changes. Other arthropod groups also shed their skin, but they do not have a fixed molting cycle like insects.

Respiratory system: The respiratory system of insects usually breathes through the tracheal system, a network of tracheae in the body that delivers air directly to the cells. Other arthropod groups, such as spiders and crustaceans, use different respiratory systems. For example, spiders breathe through book lungs, and crustaceans exchange gases through gills or body surfaces.

Mouthpart types: The mouthparts of insects are diverse and adapted to different food types, such as chewing mouthparts, straw-like mouthparts or needle-snout mouthparts. Other arthropod groups also vary in the type of mouthparts, for example crabs have chelicerae for catching prey.

Presence of wings: Insects are the only group of arthropods that possess the ability to fly independently. They usually have one or two pairs of wings, and the shape and function of their wings vary from species to species and can be used for flight, protection, and display. Other arthropod groups such as spiders and crabs do not have wing structures.

Overall, insects are the most diverse group of phylum Arthropoda, with unique body structures, life cycles, and ecological roles. Although other arthropod groups share some common characteristics, they are distinct and distinct from insects in many ways.

animal tags： arthropod insect