Eight out of every ten animal species on Earth are arthropods
Arthropods represent a staggering 80% of all known animal species, with over a million described types of insects alone dominating nearly every habitat on the planet.
The phylum Arthropoda is the most successful animal group in history, encompassing 1.257 million described species. This includes over one million insects, which are primarily terrestrial, and more than 40,000 species of malacostracan crustaceans in the oceans. Their dominance is fueled by a versatile body plan featuring a protective exoskeleton and jointed limbs, allowing them to thrive in environments ranging from hydrothermal vents to the driest deserts.
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