What classification do woodlice hold, distinguishing them from insects?
Answer
Terrestrial crustaceans
Woodlice are fundamentally classified as terrestrial crustaceans, placing them evolutionarily in the same distant group as familiar aquatic creatures such as crabs and shrimp, rather than within the Insecta class. This crustacean heritage dictates their primary biological weakness: an absolute requirement for high environmental moisture. Because they have primitive respiratory structures resembling gills, they cannot effectively function in dry air, compelling them to inhabit damp, dark environments where humidity remains consistently high to facilitate gas exchange across these delicate surfaces.
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