Creepy Crawlies: the Arachnids Quiz

Answer: Eight

While insects generally have six legs, almost all arachnids have eight. There are some species of parasitic mites in the Podapolipidae family which have only six or even four legs, but these creatures are still classified as arachnids.

Answer: Wings and antennae

Arachnids further differ from insects as they do not have antennae or wings. If you are bothered by a flying creature, rest assured that it is not an arachnid.

Answer: Spiders

With over 50,000 identified species, spiders are by far the largest order of arachnids. Spiders are found on every continent except Antarctica, and they inhabit virtually every land habitat.

Answer: Cheese

Several types of cheese, including German Milbenkase and the French Cantal, have cheese mites on their surface which contribute to the flavor and color of the cheese. The mites are microscopic and are not noticeable by the consumer.

Answer: Brazilian wandering spider

One of the larger species of spider, the venom of the Brazilian wandering spider has been known to kill an adult human being within six hours. Not all bites are fatal, and the reaction depends on several factors, including the age and health of the victim and the amount of venom injected by the spider.

Answer: Deserts

While scorpions are found in all but the coldest regions of the world, they are best adapted to deserts and most species are found there. In their respective habitats, scorpions live in such varied areas as caves, trees, and rock formations.

Answer: Ticks

Ticks are parasitic arachnids that feed off the blood of their hosts. They transmit bacteria, viruses, and protozoa while feeding and are the cause of human diseases such as typhus, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Since ticks can carry more than one pathogen at a time, diagnosis of some tick-borne diseases can be difficult.

Answer: Harvestmen

Harvestmen are an order of arachnids that include daddy longlegs and harvest spiders. They generally have long, thin legs and their body resembles an oval. As for the misconception that harvestmen are extremely venomous, the truth is that harvestmen have no venom glands and pose no threat to humans.

Answer: Stinger

The scorpion uses its pincers to grab, crush, and hold prey and when fighting another scorpion or other creature. A scorpion's main weapon, unique among arachnids, is the venomous stinger found at the end of the tail.

Answer: Pseudoscorpions

Pseudoscorpions are so named because of their resemblance to true scorpions. A pair of appendages known as pedipalps are adapted into pincer-like structures, used for capturing prey and injecting venom. Pseudoscorpions are very small creatures that feed on ants, mites, beetle and moth larvae, and small flies.