The animal world stores some of the world’s most fascinating beauties and wonders. One will undoubtedly have their mind blown if they delve into the mysteries of the fauna.
Intrigued already? You could start from anywhere. How about beginning with our intriguing exploration of animals with f as their first letter or delving into the life of animals in all three ecosystems? The possibilities are nearly endless!
Or, on a more interesting note, we could help you out here with a resourceful insight into animals with 8 legs.
Is There Any Animal With 8 Legs?
If your answer to this is ‘insects,’ you may have missed out on a bit.
The correct answer would be, yes, there are animals with 8 legs, and they are called ‘Arachnids.’
They fall under the same group as insects, collectively termed ‘Arthropods.’
But they differ from them in several aspects, the most prominent ones being the presence of 8 legs in arachnids as opposed to 6 legs in insects and the absence of wings in arachnids, unlike insects.
In this aspect, it is also important to note that this one argument always comes up. Even squids and octopuses have 8 legs.
But both of these animals have tentacles rather than legs, and they use them as arms.
So, when making an 8-legged animals list, we refer to arachnids, excluding squids and octopuses.
Speaking of unique animal characteristics on a similar footing, there is a wholesome world of animals beginning with f.
If you are also interested in discovering fascinating facts about these creatures, you can check our detailed guide on animals with f.
So, without any further ado, let’s dive further into the enigmatic world of these creatures.
All About Arachnids
Arachnids are easily identifiable by their body structure. Their body is divided into cephalothorax or prosoma and opisthosoma or abdomen.
The cephalothorax comprises the head and thorax fused, the part where the four pairs of legs are attached.
The opisthosoma, or the abdomen, is also joined with the cephalothorax, which houses vital organs, including the lungs and heart.
Arachnids also have two additional pairs of legs shaped like pincers or fangs. The first additional pair is called chelicerae and is used for feeding.
The additional second pair of legs are called pedipalps and are used for various functions, including catching prey, sensation, reproduction, and locomotion.
The remaining four pairs of legs are solely functional for helping the arachnid to move around from one place to another.
A hard exoskeleton covering their body acts as a protective mechanism for these creatures.
These creatures hunt their prey by spraying digestive juices onto them, which dissolves the flesh of their prey and liquefies them.
This adaptation of arachnids is because they are unable to digest solid food.
Animals with 8 Legs
In this article, we have listed a few 8-legged animals and some amazing facts about them below, so keep reading to get the insightful aspects about the arachnids.
1. Spiders
The most well-known arachnids are the spiders, with eight legs and eight eyes! Also, did you know that there are more than 50,000 different species of spiders in the world?
They have sticky hair on their feet called “spatulae” that help them crawl on walls and ceilings with ease.
2. Scorpions
Popular for their venomous nature, scorpions are one of the earliest animals on Earth. They are nocturnal beings that may survive between 5 and 25 years, depending on their species.
However, the most significant characteristic of these arachnids is that they give birth to live ones, unlike other arachnids that lay eggs.
3. Tardigrades
Not many readers may be familiar with these creatures, but tardigrades or water bears date back to at least a few billion years of survival on our planet.
They are, in fact, the first known creatures that can survive in outer space.
They may well be called immortals as they can survive up to a decade without food and water and withstand the effects of radiation!
4. Porcelain Crabs
When threatened, these 8-legged creatures can literally “drop off a leg to distract its predator and regrow it back again later!
They are great creatures that help keep the environment in a reef tank healthy and thriving!
This is because they act as natural environment cleaners, as they help in reef scavenging.
5. Camel Spiders
Not real, camel spiders are also known by other names like “wind scorpions” or “sun spiders.” They are carnivores that survive on rodents, lizards, small birds, and beetles.
These solitary animals are mostly active at night and vary widely in size, with the giant camel spider being one of the largest species.
Amazing Arachnids
Arachnids are a very interesting group of the species Arthropod. They are among the most sturdy groups of living beings inhabiting the planet.
Their survival and ability to adapt to changing environments make them stand apart from other creatures.
We are sure this interesting topic has most nature lovers hooked. Let us know what more insights can be added to the list, and if you have more of such, let us know in the comment section below!
