Abstract
The phylum Arthropoda includes insects, spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, sowbugs (rolly-pollies), and other related organisms. Arthropods are characterized by segmented bodies; paired, jointed appendages (e.g., legs and antennae); an exoskeleton; and bilateral symmetry (Fig. 1) (1). Arthropods display an amazing diversity and abundance. They make up more than 85% of all known animal species (2). Arthropods are found on every continent, and a square meter of vegetation is literally teeming with them. For brevity, four classes of arthropods will be discussed in this chapter—insects, arachnids, centipedes, and millipedes. Table 1 discusses some key characteristics of the major arthropod groups.
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Goddard, J. (2000). Arthropods and Health. In: Infectious Diseases and Arthropods. Infectious Disease. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-721-5_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-721-5_1
Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ
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