Glossary

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Arthropods

A taxonomic division of animals including arachnids, crustaceans, millepedes and insects.

Mirid bug

Ground beetles

With about one million described species and nine million more estimated, arthropods are by far the most successful branch of the animal kingdom. This can be attributed to:

• Their strong exo-skeleton, mostly consisting of chitin. It is waterproof and rigid, providing them with protection. On the downside, this means that arthropods must shed their exoskelten after every phase of growth.
• The high flexibility of their basic structure. Their bodies are divided into segments. Their extremities consist of highly variable segments (podites) connected at joints, which have been adapted for specialised functions like ingestion, sensory perception, and defence.