Insect
Insects (from Latin insectum, a calque of Greek ἔντομον, "cut into sections") are a class of invertebrates within the arthropod phylum that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. They are among the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, including more than a million described species and representing more than half of all known living organisms. The number of extant species is estimated at between six and ten million, and potentially represent over 90% of the differing metazoan life forms on Earth. Insects may be found in nearly all environments, although only a small number of species occur in the oceans, a habitat dominated by another arthropod group, crustaceans.
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Famous quotes containing the word insect:
“Of what use, however, is a general certainty that an insect will not walk with his head hindmost, when what you need to know is the play of inward stimulus that sends him hither and thither in a network of possible paths?”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“I’m saying I’m an insect who dreamed he was a man and he loved it but the dream is over and the insect is awake.”
—Charles Edward Pogue, U.S. screenwriter, and David Cronenberg. Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum)
“The insect fable is the certain promise.”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)