Arachnids are arthropods in the class Arachnida of the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, camel spiders, whip spiders and vinegaroons.
Pseudoscorpions, also known as false scorpions or book scorpions, are small, scorpion-like arachnids belonging to the order Pseudoscorpiones, also known as Pseudoscorpionida or Chelonethida.
Amblypygi is an order of arachnids also known as whip spiders or tailless whip scorpions, not to be confused with whip scorpions or vinegaroons that belong to the related order Thelyphonida. The name "amblypygid" means "blunt tail", a reference to a lack of the flagellum that is otherwise seen in whip scorpions. Amblypygids possess no silk glands or venom. They rarely bite if threatened, but can grab fingers with their pedipalps, resulting in thorn-like puncture injuries.
Palpigradi is an order of very small arachnids commonly known as microwhip scorpion or palpigrades.
Uropygi is an arachnid order comprising invertebrates commonly known as whip scorpions or vinegaroons. They are often called uropygids. The name "whip scorpion" refers to their resemblance to true scorpions and possession of a whiplike tail, and "vinegaroon" refers to their ability when attacked to discharge an offensive, vinegar-smelling liquid, which contains acetic acid. The order may also be called Thelyphonida. Both names, Uropygi and Thelyphonida, may be used either in a narrow sense for the order of whip scorpions, or in a broad sense which includes the order Schizomida.
Solifugae is an order of animals in the class Arachnida known variously as camel spiders, wind scorpions, sun spiders, or solifuges. The order includes more than 1,000 described species in about 147 genera. Despite the common names, they are neither true scorpions nor true spiders. Most species of Solifugae live in dry climates and feed opportunistically on ground-dwelling arthropods and other small animals. The largest species grow to a length of 12–15 cm (5–6 in), including legs. A number of urban legends exaggerate the size and speed of the Solifugae, and their potential danger to humans, which is negligible.
The pygidium is the posterior body part or shield of crustaceans and some other arthropods, such as insects and the extinct trilobites. In groups other than insects, it contains the anus and, in females, the ovipositor. It is composed of fused body segments, sometimes with a tail, and separated from thoracic segments by an articulation.
Amaranthus brownii was an annual herb in the family Amaranthaceae. The plant was found only on the small island of Nihoa in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, growing on rocky outcrops at altitudes of 120–215 m (394–705 ft). It was one of nine species of Amaranthus in the Hawaiian Islands, as well as the only endemic Hawaiian species of the genus. It is now considered extinct.
The filfola lizard or Maltese wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Italy and in the island group of Malta. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, rocky shores, arable land, pastureland, and rural gardens.
The Sicilian shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Sicily (Italy) and Gozo (Malta). Its natural habitat is temperate shrubland.
The Maltese Islands, although small in area (316 km2), host many endemic species. This may make the organism endangered. These endemic species are important to the Maltese Islands because they form part of Maltese national heritage and are topics of scientific research.
Arctostaphylos confertiflora is a rare species of manzanita known by the common name Santa Rosa Island manzanita. This shrub is endemic to California, where it grows on the sandstone bluffs of Santa Rosa Island in the Channel Islands. This manzanita is listed as an endangered species by the United States Government.
Labia minor, the lesser earwig or small earwig, is a species of earwig. It is widespread globally in temperate climates, preferring warm locations such as compost heaps in parts of its range. It is 4–7 mm long, including the pincer, and chocolate brown in color.
Gruta da Morena (MG-0270) is a limestone cave, considered the third largest cave in Minas Gerais, 15 km from Cordisburgo, Brazil. Reaching 4620 meters long, it presents five entrances, various halls and a stream. It is close to the road of Povoado do Onça, 6 km from the city. To get to the cave, it is first necessary to go through a trail. This specific cave has been very recently included in the area of influence of Gruta de Maquiné, once a new species of arachnid has also been found inside the cave, being it the third troglobitic species of Brazilian Palpigradi found in this cave and of characteristic very similar to the previous species Eukoenenia maquinenses.
Garypus titanius, the giant pseudoscorpion, is the largest species of pseudoscorpion—small, scorpion-looking creatures—in the world. Critically endangered, it is restricted to Boatswain Bird Island, a small rocky island off Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. Pseudoscorpions are venomous arachnids and are generally tiny—around 3 mm long. The giant pseudoscorpion, though, can grow to five times that size at 11 mm. It lives among seabird colonies, feeding mainly at night on smaller prey such as insects. It belongs to the Garypidae family.
Electrokoenenia yaksha is a palpigrade that lived approximately 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. It is the first microwhip scorpion fossil from this period to be found and is currently the oldest known Palpigrade.
Chanbria is a genus of camel spiders. It consists of four species found in the Sonoran Desert in Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Prokoeneniidae is a family of microscorpions in the order Palpigradi. There are at least two genera and about seven described species in Prokoeneniidae.
Eukoenenia is a genus of Eukoeneniid palpigrades, also known as microwhip scorpions, which was first described by Carl Julius Bernhard Börner in 1901.
Eukoenenia guzikae is a species of palpigrades, also known as microwhip scorpions, in the Eukoeneniidae family. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 2008 by arachnologists Pablo Barranco and Mark Harvey.
