Arthropods are invertebrate animals having an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and cuticle made of chitin, often mineralised with calcium carbonate. The arthropod body plan consists of segments, each with a pair of appendages. Arthropods are bilaterally symmetrical and their body possesses an external skeleton. In order to keep growing, they must go through stages of moulting, a process by which they shed their exoskeleton to reveal a new one. Some species have wings. They are an extremely diverse group, with up to 10 million species. Arthropods are invertebrate animals with a chitinous exoskeleton, segmented bodies, and jointed legs. The phylum Arthropoda contains numerous taxonomic orders in over 20 classes.
Subphylum Hexapoda Order Diplura (Diplurans) Order Protura (Coneheads)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Subclass Monocondylia or Monochlamydia Order Archaeognatha – 550 (Jumping bristletails)
Subclass Dicondylia Order †Carbotriplurida Infraclass Thysanura Order Zygentoma – 370 Subclass Pterygota Order †Perielytrodea Order Panephemeroptera Order †Protephemeroptera Order †Syntonopterodea Order †Permoplectoptera Order †Coxoplectoptera Order Ephemeroptera – 3,000 (Mayflies) Clade Odonataptera Order †Eugeroptera Order †Kukaloptera Order †Argentinoptera Order †Geroptera Order †Eomeganisoptera Order †Meganisoptera Order †Campylopterodea Order †Protanisoptera Order †Triadophlebioptera Order †Protozygoptera Order Odonata – 5,900 (Dragonflies and damselflies) Clade †Palaeodictyopteroidea Order †Palaeodictyoptera Order †Permothemistida Order †Diaphanopterodea Order †Megasecoptera Clade Polyneoptera Order †Eoblattida Order †Reculida Order †Paoliida Order †Protorthoptera (Paraphyletic assemblage of basal and stem polyneopterans) Order †Sheimiodea Order Zoraptera – 28 (Angel insects) Order †Archelytroidea Order †Protelytroptera Order Dermaptera – 1,816 (Earwigs) Order Plecoptera – 2,274 (Stoneflies) Order †Caloblattinidea Order †Alienoptera Order Mantodea – 2,200 (Mantises) Order Blattodea – 7,400 (Cockroaches and termites) Order Grylloblattodea – 34 (ice-crawlers) Order Mantophasmatodea – 15 (gladiators) Order Phasmatodea – 2,500–3,300 (Stick insects or stick-bugs) Order Embioptera – 200–300 (Webspinners) Order †Chresmododea Order †Cnemidolestida Order †Titanoptera Order †Caloneurodea Order Orthoptera – 24,380 (Grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, etc.) Clade Clareocercaria Order †Hypoperlida Order †Miomoptera Order Psocodea – 11,000 (Lice, bark lice, book lice) Order †Permopsocida Order Hemiptera – 50,000–80,000 (True bugs) Order †Lophioneurida Order Thysanoptera – 7,700 (Thrips) Clade Holometabola Order Hymenoptera – 115,000 (Sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants) Order Strepsiptera – 596 (Twisted-wing parasites) Order Coleoptera – 360,000–400,000 (Beetles) Order †Glosselytrodea Order Raphidioptera – 210 (Snakeflies) Order Megaloptera – 250–300 (Alderflies, dobsonflies, and fishflies) Order Neuroptera – 5,000 (Net-winged insects) Order †Protomecoptera Order †Tarachoptera Order †Permotrichoptera Order Lepidoptera – 174,250 (Butterflies and moths) Order Trichoptera – 12,627 (Caddisfly) Order †Paratrichoptera Order †Protodiptera (Permotipula and Permila) Order Diptera – 152,956 (Flies) Order †Paramecoptera Order Nannomecoptera Order Mecoptera – 481 (Scorpionflies) Order Neomecoptera Order Siphonaptera – 2,525 (Fleas)
Class Collembola
Order Entomobryomorpha Order Poduromorpha Order Symphypleona Order Neelipleona
Subphylum Chelicerata
Class Xiphosura Order Xiphosurida
Class †Eurypterida Order †Eurypterida Order †Chasmataspidida
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Subclass Acari (Mites) Order Opilioacariformes Order Ixodida (Ticks) Order Holothyrida Order Mesostigmata Order Trombidiformes Order Sarcoptiformes Order Endeostigmata Subclass Arachnopulmonata Order Amblypygi (Whip spiders) Order Araneae (Spiders) Order †Haptopoda Order Palpigradi (Microwhip scorpions) Order †Uraraneida Order Schizomida (Short-tailed whip scorpions) Order Pseudoscorpionida (Pseudoscorpions, or false scorpions) Order Scorpiones (True scorpions) Order Uropygi (Thelyphonida s.s., whip scorpions) Order †Trigonotarbida Order Opiliones (Harvestmen, also known as daddy longlegs) Order †Phalangiotarbida Order Solifugae (Sun spiders or wind scorpions) Order Ricinulei (Hooded tickspiders)
Class Pycnogonida Order Pantopoda (Sea spiders)
Subphylum Myriapoda (Centipedes and millipedes)
Class Chilopoda (Centipedes) Order Scutigeromorpha Order Lithobiomorpha (stone centipedes) Order †Devonobiomorpha Order Craterostigmomorpha Order Scolopendromorpha (tropical centipedes) Order Geophilomorpha (soil centipedes)
Class Diplopoda (Millipedes)
Subclass Penicillata Order Polyxenida (Bristly millipedes)
Subclass Chilognatha Order †Zosterogrammida Infraclass †Arthropleuridea Order †Arthropleurida Order †Eoarthropleurida Order †Microdecemplicida Infraclass Pentazonia Order †Amynilyspedida Superorder Limacomorpha Order Glomeridesmida Superorder Oniscomorpha (Pill millipedes) Order Glomerida Order Sphaerotheriida (Giant pill millipedes) Infraclass †Archipolypoda Order †Archidesmida Order †Cowiedesmida Order †Euphoberiida Order †Palaeosomatida Infraclass Helminthomorpha Order †Pleurojulida Order Platydesmida Order Polyzoniida Order Siphonocryptida Order Siphonophorida Superorder Juliformia Order Julida Order Siphoniulida Order Spirobolida Order Spirostreptida Superfamily †Xyloiuloidea (Sometimes aligned with Spirobolida) Superorder Merocheta Order Polydesmida (Flat-backed millipedes) Superorder Nematophora Order Callipodida Order Chordeumatida Order Stemmiulida
Class Pauropoda
Order Hexamerocerata Order Tetramerocerata
Class Symphyla Order Scolopendrellida (garden centipedes) Order Scutigerellida
Subphylum Crustacea (Crustaceans) Order †Henningsmoenicarida Order †Cambropachycopida Order †Cambrocarida Order †Martinssoniida Order †Phosphatocopida Order †Bostrichopodida
Class †Thylacocephala Order †Ainiktozoiformes Order †Concavicarida Order †Conchyliocarida
Class Remipedia Order †Enantiopoda Order Nectiopoda
Class Branchiopoda
Subclass Sarsostraca Order Anostraca (Fairy shrimp) Order †Lipostraca Subclass Phyllopoda Infraclass Calmanostraca Order †Protocaridida Order †Kazacharthra Order Notostraca (Tadpole shrimp) Infraclass Diplostraca (Clam shrimp) Order Laevicaudata Order Spinicaudata Order Cyclestherida Order Anomopoda Order Ctenopoda Order Haplopoda Order Onychopoda
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.





