Page 24 - World of Animals - Issue #28 Magazine

Amazing arthropods

Thorn bugs are

named after the

odd-looking, pointed

spine on their back

Look at a tree inhabited by thorn bugs and you’ll do well
to spot one despite their colourful green, orange and red
bodies. That’s because these insects have sharp, hard
pronotums that make them look like rose thorns. They can
rest on a branch and suck sap while cleverly blending into
their surroundings and should a predator see and prey on
them, the sharp tip of their pointed spine can easily cause
an injury.
Thorn bugs don’t seek to hide from each other, though.
The males fly from tree to tree and vibrate their abdomens
when they land which makes a distinctive noise that
they hope females will be able to pick up and
respond to. Should there be a match, the female
thorn bug will lay her eggs into the bark and
spend two weeks protecting them.
BELOW A male thorn bug will attract
a mate using low vibrations that
reverberate through the plant

What is an arthropod? The appendages have joints (indeed

There are more arthropods in the world than any the word arthropod actually means
other creature. From spiders to centipedes and ‘jointed feet’). Arthropods also
have many pairs of limbs.
crayfish to crabs, they roam the land, fill the air and
dominate the seas. Indeed, the phylum makes up
three quarters of all biological organisms. Their bodies are segmented,
Scientists have split arthropods into four with each part containing pairs
subgroups – insects, arachnids, crustaceans of appendages, whether they
and myriapods – but they all share the traits of be antennae, legs or wings.
a stiff exoskeleton, segmented bodies, bilateral
symmetry, jointed legs and multiple pairs of limbs. Arthropods have stiff exoskeletons,
In November 2015, preserved arthropod brains which are mainly composed of
were found that dated back 520 million years. chitin. These offer protection and
These remains are helping to shed light on the support, and are shed periodically.
evolution of this enormous phylum.

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