Arthropods are invertebrates that include crustaceans, insects, and spiders, with an estimated 800,000+ living species and up to 10 million species overall. The Phylum Mollusca evolved about 540 million years ago, based on current evidence. Characteristics of Arthropods generally include jointed legs (the namesake of the phylum), segmented bodies, an exoskeleton composed of chitin.
Kingdom: Animalia
-Phylum: Arthropoda
I have photographs three classes of arthropods so far:
–Malacostracans (True Crabs)
–Arachnida (Spiders, Scorpions, Ticks)
–Insecta (Beetles, Butterflies, Bees, Flies, Grasshoppers)