What group of arthropods are terrestrial crustaceans (woodlice) relatives of, rather than insects?
Answer
Crabs and shrimp
Terrestrial crustaceans, commonly known as woodlice or pillbugs, are classified as relatives of marine arthropods that have adapted to life on land, specifically sharing ancestry with creatures like crabs and shrimp. Despite their terrestrial habitat and small size, they are biologically distinct from insects. Insects belong to a different class (Insecta), while woodlice belong to the suborder Isopoda within the class Malacostraca, placing them evolutionarily closer to these larger aquatic crustaceans than to true insects.
Related Questions
What group of arthropods are terrestrial crustaceans (woodlice) relatives of, rather than insects?What category do woodlice firmly belong to due to primarily consuming dead and decaying organic matter?What complex structural material, abundant in wood and leaves, are woodlice specialized in breaking down?What readily available food source accumulating on the forest floor forms the foundation of a woodlouse’s diet?What essential mineral must woodlice actively supplement their diet with for exoskeleton maintenance?Why is hard, fresh wood generally indigestible, meaning woodlice thrive only where rot has begun?What type of food source might woodlice turn to opportunistically if preferred leaf litter is scarce or soil is dry?What common item, often sold for birds, is consistently recommended as a calcium supplement for keeping woodlice cultures?What is the fundamental ecological function solidified by the woodlice's habit of consuming cellulose in wood and leaves?Why might woodlice be found near soft new plants in drier, disturbed environments rather than dense forests?