Diversity
Although well behind the insects, chelicerates are one of the most diverse groups of animals, with over 77,000 living species that have been described in scientific publications. Some estimates suggest that there may be 130,000 undescribed species of spider and nearly 500,000 undescribed species of mites and ticks. While the earliest chelicerates and the living Pycnogonida (if they are chelicerates) and Xiphosura are marine animals that breathe dissolved oxygen, the vast majority of living species are air-breathers, although a few spider species build "diving bell" webs that enable them to live under water. Like their ancestors, most living chelicerates are carnivores, mainly on small invertebrates. However many species feed as parasites, vegetarians, scavengers and detritivores.
| Diversity of living chelicerates | ||
| Group | Described species | Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Pycnogonida (sea-spiders) | 500 | Carnivorous |
| Xiphosura (horseshoe crabs) | 4 | Carnivorous |
| Araneae (spiders) | 34,000 | Carnivorous; 1 vegetarian |
| Acari (mites and ticks) | 32,000 | Carnivorous, parasitic, vegetarian, detritivore |
| Opiliones (harvestmen) | 6,500 | Carnivorous, vegetarian, detritivore |
| Pseudoscorpiones (false scorpions) | 3,200 | Carnivorous |
| Scorpiones (scorpions) | 1,400 | Carnivorous |
| Solifugae (sunspiders) | 900 | Carnivorous, omnivorous |
| Schizomida (small whipscorpions) | 180 | |
| Amblypygi (whipspiders) | 100 | |
| Uropygi (Thelyphonida – whipscorpions) | 90 | Carnivorous |
| Palpigradi (micro whipscorpions) | 60 | |
| Ricinulei | 60 | |
Read more about this topic: Chelicerata
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