Insects

Most members of the phylum Arthropoda are characterized by a segmented exoskeleton with jointed limbs, a heart that lies in the upper part of the body and a nerve cord that runs along the lower part of the body.

The phylum is divided into five classes that include Insecta (insects) and Arachnida (spiders, scorpions, harvestmen, ticks and mites). The Insecta, with approximately 750,000 known species and at least that many more believed yet to be discovered, is the largest class in the Animal Kingdom.

Take note, however, that spiders are NOT insects. Being in a different class makes them as different from the insects as birds are from mammals. Invertebrates, or animals without backbones, comprise the majority of life on our planet.  Between 95% and 99% percent of all animal species are invertebrates.

Invertebrates are vital to the functioning of our planet. They are irreplaceable as pollinators, nutrient recyclers, decomposers, and in food webs.  Although no other group of animals is as beneficial, no other is, collectively, as destructive either (except humans, of course).

The 33 phyla that contain the invertebrates are vast and only a few will be represented in our exhibit. Currently there are only two phyla represented in our collection and that is the phylum Arthropoda and the phylum Mollusca.

Mollusca – slugs, snails and squid – approximately 110,000 species.  The channeled apple snails are the only member of this phylum currently displayed at the Zoo.

Arthropoda – This is the largest phylum in the animal kingdom - approximately 1,000,000 species total.   It includes 5 main groups which are:

• Insects
• Arachnids
• Millipedes and centipedes
• Crustaceans
• Horseshoe crabs

Currently in the insect zoo we have species in three different Classes which are:

• Insecta
• Arachnida
• Myriopoda (subclasses: Diplopoda – millipedes, Chilopoda – centipedes)