The most species-rich animal group in the world!
Butterflies, beetles, bees, dragonflies, termites, and fleas—the world of insects couldn’t be more diverse. They are by far the most species-rich animal group in the world.
Whether pollinating flowering plants, providing food for a variety of other animals, or recycling dead animals and plants, insects fulfill a multitude of ecological functions. The number of species is estimated at 3 to 4 million. With their six legs, they are easily distinguished from eight-legged arachnids. And while the body of arachnids consists of only two sections, insects have a three-part body structure consisting of a head, thorax, and abdomen. Unlike vertebrates, insects do not have an “endoskeleton,” meaning they do not have bones inside their bodies. Insects have a body covering made of chitin, i.e., an outer skeleton (also called an “exoskeleton”), as is also found in crustaceans, for example.