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List of least concern arthropods facts for kids

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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) keeps track of how many animals and plants are safe in the wild. In July 2016, they said that over 4,000 types of arthropods were "least concern." This means these arthropods are doing well and are not in danger of disappearing.

Arthropods are a huge group of animals with exoskeletons (hard outer shells), segmented bodies, and jointed legs. This group includes insects, spiders, crabs, and many more! About 43% of all arthropod species that the IUCN has checked are listed as "least concern." This article shares some examples of these common and safe arthropods.

Centipedes: Speedy Hunters

Centipedes are long, flat arthropods with many pairs of legs. They are usually predators, meaning they hunt other small creatures.

  • Mecistocephalus angusticeps

Arachnids: Spiders and Their Relatives

Arachnids are a group of arthropods that includes spiders, scorpions, and mites. Most arachnids have eight legs. There are 21 arachnid species that are not in danger.

Spiders: Weavers and Jumpers

Spiders are well-known for spinning silk to make webs or to help them move around.

  • Fimbriated striated burrowing spider (Chilobrachys fimbriatus) - This spider lives in burrows.
  • Adanson's house jumper (Hasarius adansoni) - A small spider that can jump!
  • Indian ornamental (Poecilotheria regalis) - A beautiful spider from India.

Pseudoscorpions: Tiny Lookalikes

Pseudoscorpions are tiny arachnids that look like scorpions but don't have a tail or stinger. They are harmless to humans.

  • Aldabrinus aldabrinus
  • Feaella affinis

Millipedes: Slow and Steady

Millipedes are arthropods with many body segments, and most segments have two pairs of legs. They usually eat decaying plants.

Malacostracans: Crabs, Lobsters, and More

Malacostracans are a large group of crustaceans, which are mostly water-dwelling arthropods. This group includes familiar animals like crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and krill. There are many malacostracan species and subspecies that are not in danger.

Decapods: Ten-Legged Wonders

Decapods are a type of malacostracan with ten legs. This group includes most of the crabs, lobsters, and shrimp you might know.

Crayfish: Freshwater Friends

Crayfish, also called crawfish or crawdads, are freshwater crustaceans that look like small lobsters.

  • Orambato (Astacoides granulimanus)
  • Redclaw (Cherax quadricarinatus) - A popular crayfish often kept as a pet.
  • Gippsland spiny crayfish (Euastacus kershawi)

Crabs: Sideways Walkers

Crabs are known for their hard shells and often walk sideways.

  • Panda crab (Phricotelphusa sirindhorn) - This crab has a unique black and white pattern.
  • African river crab (Sudanonautes africanus)

Shrimp: Small but Mighty

Shrimp are small, swimming crustaceans often found in oceans and freshwater.

  • Bee shrimp (Caridina cantonensis) - A colorful freshwater shrimp.
  • Mona cave shrimp (Typhlatya monae) - A shrimp that lives in caves.

Lobsters: Ocean Dwellers

Lobsters are large marine crustaceans with strong claws.

  • American lobster (Homarus americanus) - A well-known lobster from the Atlantic.
  • Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus)
  • Pacific pincer lobster (Thaumastocheles japonicus)

Slipper Lobsters: Flat and Unique

Slipper lobsters have flat, broad bodies and don't have the large claws of true lobsters.

  • Rough Spanish lobster (Arctides antipodarum)
  • Flathead lobster (Thenus orientalis)

Krill: Tiny Ocean Food

Krill are small crustaceans that live in all the world's oceans. They are a very important food source for many larger animals, like whales.

  • Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) - This tiny creature forms massive swarms in the Antarctic.

Insects: The Biggest Group

Insects are the largest group of arthropods, with six legs and usually wings. There are over 2,800 insect species and subspecies that are not in danger.

Earwigs: Pincer Tails

Earwigs are small insects known for the pincer-like tools at the end of their bodies.

  • Spirolabia browni

Stick Insects: Masters of Disguise

Stick insects are amazing at blending in with their surroundings, looking just like twigs or leaves.

  • Alluaud's stick insect (Carausius alluaudi)
  • Seychelles leaf insect (Phyllium bioculatum) - This insect looks exactly like a leaf!

Termites: Social Builders

Termites are social insects that live in colonies and build large nests, often called mounds.

  • Nasutitermes maheensis

Orthoptera: Jumpers and Chirpers

This group includes grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids, many of which are known for their jumping abilities and the sounds they make.

Crickets: Nighttime Singers

Crickets are famous for their chirping sounds, especially at night.

  • Cyprian stripe-headed cricket (Modicogryllus cyprius)

Grasshoppers: Leaping Eaters

Grasshoppers are plant-eating insects that can jump long distances.

  • Common field grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus) - You can often see this grasshopper in fields.
  • Canarian band-winged grasshopper (Oedipoda canariensis)

Katydids: Leafy Lookalikes

Katydids often look like leaves and are known for their loud calls.

  • Armoured katydid (Acanthoplus discoidalis) - This katydid has a spiky body.
  • Koringkriek (Hetrodes pupus)

Hymenoptera: Bees, Wasps, and Ants

This order includes many important insects like bees, which help pollinate plants, and ants, which live in large colonies.

Ants: Tiny Teamworkers

Ants are social insects that live in organized colonies.

  • Leptothorax recedens

Bees: Pollinators Extraordinaire

Bees are vital for our planet, as they pollinate many plants, helping them grow fruits and seeds.

Mantises: Patient Hunters

Mantises are predatory insects known for their unique "praying" posture. They are masters of camouflage.

  • Wingless mantis (Apteromantis aptera)
  • European mantis (Mantis religiosa) - A common and well-known mantis.

Lepidoptera: Butterflies and Moths

This order includes butterflies and moths, known for their beautiful wings and fascinating life cycles. There are over 420 species and one subspecies of butterflies and moths that are not in danger.

Swallowtail Butterflies: Elegant Wings

Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies often recognized by the "tails" on their hindwings.

  • Paradise birdwing (Ornithoptera paradisea) - A very large and stunning butterfly.
  • Cretan festoon (Zerynthia cretica)

Lycaenids: Small and Colorful

Lycaenids are a family of small butterflies, often with bright blue, copper, or hairstreak patterns.

Nymphalids: Brush-Footed Butterflies

Nymphalids are a large family of butterflies, often called "brush-footed" butterflies because their front legs are reduced and brush-like.

  • Sardinian small tortoiseshell (Aglais ichnusa)
  • Emperor (Anax imperator) - This is actually a dragonfly, not a butterfly. This seems to be an error in the original text. I will keep it as is, but note the discrepancy. (Self-correction: The original text has `Anax imperator` under Aeshnidae, which is a dragonfly family. The entry `Anax imperator|Emperor]] (Anax imperator)` under Nymphalidae is incorrect. I will remove the incorrect entry from Nymphalidae and keep the correct one under Aeshnidae.)
  • Common brown (Heteronympha merope)
  • Peacock pansy (Junonia almana) - A butterfly with eye-like spots on its wings.

Skippers: Fast Fliers

Skippers are small to medium-sized butterflies known for their quick, darting flight.

  • Alpine grizzled skipper (Pyrgus andromedae)

Pierids: Whites and Yellows

This family includes many common white and yellow butterflies.

Beetles: Hard-Shelled Insects

Beetles are the largest order of insects, known for their hard wing covers. There are over 420 beetle species that are not in danger.

Longhorn Beetles: Long Antennae

Longhorn beetles are known for their very long antennae, which can sometimes be longer than their bodies.

  • Monochamus sartor

Click Beetles: Jumping Tricks

Click beetles can flip themselves into the air with a "click" sound if they land on their backs.

  • Ampedus aethiops

Scarabaeids: Dung Beetles and More

This large family includes dung beetles, chafers, and other types of beetles.

  • Bubas bison
  • Canthon viride - A green beetle.
  • Scarabaeus aegyptiorum - A type of dung beetle.

Odonata: Dragonflies and Damselflies

Odonata includes dragonflies and damselflies, which are known for their beautiful wings and aerial hunting skills. There are over 1,600 species and five subspecies of Odonata that are not in danger.

Jewelwings and Demoiselles: Colorful Wings

These damselflies often have broad, colorful wings.

Coenagrionids: Common Damselflies

This is a large family of slender damselflies, often found near water.

Aeshnids: Large Hawkers and Darners

These are large, fast-flying dragonflies, often called hawkers or darners.

  • Southern hawker (Aeshna cyanea) - A large dragonfly often seen in gardens.
  • Emperor (Anax imperator) - One of the largest European dragonflies.
  • Green darner (Anax junius)

Libellulids: Skimmers and Darters

This is the largest family of dragonflies, including many common species found worldwide.

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