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COMMON
ARTHROPODS OF TUCSON, AZ
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Arthropod
Thumbnails Scorpions (general info)
Spiders
Other Arachnids
Insects: Hymenoptera (ants/wasps etc.)
Insects: Lepidoptera (butterflies/moths)
Insects: Other Orders
Centipedes, Millipedes, and Others
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Arachnids (e.g., scorpions, spiders, ticks, and mites) have 8 legs, simple eyes, no wings, no antennae, and usually no mandibles (instead they have fang-like mouthparts for piercing). They have 2 major body parts -- cephalothorax (combined head and thorax) and abdomen. Most species are terrestrial. Insects (e.g., beetles, bees, bugs, and butterflies) have 6 legs, compound eyes, wings (in many but not all species), one pair of antennae, and mandibles. They have 3 major body parts -- head, thorax, and abdomen. Species are both aquatic and terrestrial. Millipedes have cylindrical bodies with many small legs, 2 pairs of legs per apparent segment. Centipedes have flattened bodies with 15 or more legs, 1 pair of legs per segment. Species are terrestrial. Crustaceans (e.g., shrimp, crabs, and sowbugs) have more than 8 legs, compound eyes in many, no wings, 2 pairs of antennae, and mandibles. Species are mostly marine, but look for sowbugs (commonly called rollypollies) under rocks in your backyard. |
Major sources of information include Alden et al. (1999), ASDM (2000), Bailowitz and Brock (1991), Glassberg (2001), Opler and Wright (1999).
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Arthropods
include arachnids, insects, millipedes, centipedes, crustaceans, and other
invertebrate animals with jointed, external skeletons (exoskeletons).
Over 85% of all animal species are arthropods (more than a million species
have been officially described and named and there may be over 10 times
that many not officially named yet).