Is A Spider A Carnivore

With eight legs, multiple eyes, and fangs that can inject venom, spiders are a terrifying sight for some. Despite their menacing appearance, these little critters are important components to every ecosystem they're plant in. Many people refer to spiders and other creepy-crawly things equally insects. They do have lots in common with insects, and they even look and carry a lot like our six-legged friends. But, are spiders insects?

Technically speaking, spiders are not insects! Why aren't they exactly? We'll look into a few main reasons why spiders and insects are and then unlike. Simply first, allow's intermission downwardly what spiders and insects have in common, which is actually quite a bit.

To sympathize the similarities and differences between spiders and insects, nosotros have to comprehend a bit of taxonomy. Taxonomy is the science of classifying all living things. Spiders, insects, fish, birds, and humans all autumn into the Kingdom Animalia. Pretty much every animal is able to breathe and move, dissimilar plants and fungi. Additionally, animals are multicellular, unlike bacteria. Let's dive deeper into the world of taxonomy and discover more well-nigh the classification of spiders and insects.

are spiders insects, jumping spider

Photo by Jeff Burcher

Spiders and Insects Are Arthropods

Getting more specific, we move into the Phylum of Arthropoda. Spiders and insects are still together in this group, as are crustaceans, centipedes, and the famous extinct Trilobite. Arthropods are an incredibly successful grouping of animals and tin can thrive in the deep sea, wet forests, and extremely hot deserts. Just what makes an arthropod an arthropod?

Get-go of all, arthropods are invertebrates. Different mammals, birds, and reptiles, they lack a spinal column. Instead, arthropods take super difficult exoskeletons on the outside of their torso, made up of stuff chosen chitin. Chitin is actually very like to the textile that makes upwards our very ain pilus and fingernails! In guild to grow, an arthropod must shed its exoskeleton and create a new one. Here'due south an awesome video of a cicada shedding its exoskeleton.

Another defining feature of an arthropod is having segmented legs. In fact, that's exactly where the name arthropod comes from. Arthro means jointed, and pod ways leg. At that place are a few other more technical characteristics of arthropods, but we won't worry about those.

Are spiders insects, Spider anatomy

(1) Four pairs of legs, (two) cephalothorax, and (3) belly

Spiders Are Not Insects!

The next taxonomic level downwards is where spiders and insects lose their similarities. Spiders are in a class of animals known as arachnids. Spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks are all different kinds of arachnids. Possibly the biggest difference between arachnids and insects are the number of legs they have. One of the defining characteristics of spiders and other arachnids is that they have 8 legs. Insects, on the other hand, but accept half dozen. This difference may not seem that pregnant, but it's one of the most important things that carve up these two classes of animals!

Next up is the number of body segments. Spiders have two segments – the abdomen, and the cephalothorax (which is a combination of a head and thorax). Insects avowal 3 distinct segments – an abdomen, a thorax, and a caput. Although they serve essentially the aforementioned functions, the body segments are another characteristic that spiders and insects practice not have in mutual.

On the topic of torso parts, insects have adult wings for flight. Nearly all insect species are capable of flight – even ants, although it'due south usually just the queen who'due south able to. Spiders and other arachnids are non able to fly. Which is skilful for us, considering if they could, they would be about a thousand times scarier.

Are spiders insects, golden orb weaver

Of class, the differences between spiders and insects don't stop there. They have very different roles in their ecosystems as well. Mainly, spiders are carnivores and hunt for their food, ordinarily by using webs made of silk. Many insects (simply not all of them!) are herbivores and are often a tasty snack for other animals, including spiders.

So, now you know! Contrary to what many people believe, spiders are not insects. We'll go out you with this super absurd video of a peacock spider dancing to concenter a mate.