Zoology has many branches and areas that study individual taxa (both large and smaller). The science of arachnids is called arachnology, which means "doctrine of spiders" in Greek. However, this zoological section has a broader meaning, in addition to the spiders themselves, they study another 10 orders of the Helicerov subtype.
General characteristics of science
Arachnology became an independent science in the 19th century, and earlier it was part of entomology, which was a big mistake, because insects and arachnids belong not only to different classes, but also to subtypes. With this in mind, arachnology can in no way be considered a subsidiary branch of entomology. However, the methods of the two sciences are very similar. In educational institutions, arachnology is still one of the areas of the Department of Entomology, and not of invertebrate zoology.
Modern literature on arachnology includes catalogs of the world fauna of arachnid orders, articles, journals, and scientific publications. Textbooks devoted only to arachnology are relatively few.
origin of name
As in other sciences, the meaning of the word "arachnology" corresponds to the taxon to which this zoological section is devoted. The name of the class Arachnida comes from the ancient Greek word "arรกchnฤ", which underlies the myth of the spinner Arachnid. The latter challenged Athena herself to the competition and did not yield to her in skill, but was turned into a spider for her insolence shown to the gods.
Arachnid classification
For a correct understanding of what arachnology is, it is necessary to study the biological classification of arachnids, the object of this science is the first 10 orders of this taxon.
The arachnid class (lat. Arachnida) belongs to the chelicera subtype (lat. Chelicerata) and includes the following orders:
- Scorpions (Scorpiones).
- Phones (Uropygi).
- Tararid (Tartarides).
- Freens (Amblypygi).
- Kenya (Palpygradi).
- False scorpions (Pseudoscorpiones).
- Solpugae (Solifugae).
- Hayers (Opiliones).
- Ricinulei (Ricinulei).
- Spiders (Aranei).
- Acariform ticks (Acariformes).
- Parasitomorphic ticks (Parasitiformes).
- Holotirida ticks (Holotirida).
- Hay mites (Opilioacarina).
The total number of arachnid species is about 100 thousand.
Arachnology is an industry that focuses on all taxa of arachnids, except ticks, which is the subject of study of a separate science - acarology. However, in some sources, the latter is considered a subsidiary of arachnology. The medical and veterinary areas of arachnology necessarily include sections on ticks, since many of them are carriers of various diseases.
Acarology as an independent science was formed in the XX century. The reason for this was the great importance of ticks in the fields of veterinary medicine, medicine and agriculture.
What arachnology studies
The subject of arachnology is a number of biological characteristics of arachnids, including:
- morphology - considers the detailed structure of all segments of the body;
- comparative anatomy and physiology - describe the structure and functioning of all organ systems (circulatory, respiratory, digestive, etc.);
- traditional and phylogenetic classification;
- embryology features;
- biology of reproduction and development;
- species composition;
- ecology;
- features of behavior and lifestyle;
- distribution halos (zoogeography).
All these points are considered both in general for arachnids and for individual units of this class. Particular attention is paid to the study of spiders (araneology) and ticks (acarology).
There are also applied varieties of arachnology. These areas study the relationship of arachnids with various spheres of human activity. An integral part of arachnology is also the general characteristic of chelicerae.
Subsidiaries of Arachnology
Currently, 2 zoological sections are actively developing, independently distinguished from arachnology - this is acarology (the science of ticks) and araneology, which studies only spiders (Aranea order).
Separately, medical arachnology is examined, which studies the effect of arachnids on human health, veterinary, agricultural, and forest. Particularly important attention in this science is given to poisonous species and methods of treating the consequences of bites. Some arachnids can cause various diseases called arachnoses.
The practical significance of science
The practical importance of arachnology is due to the study of arachnid orders, which can affect cultivated plants, animals, or humans. The study of ticks is of the greatest medical and economic importance, since among them there are:
- carriers of especially dangerous infections;
- species affecting crop plants and food supplies (grain, flour, etc.);
- pathogens of animal and human diseases (for example, scabies mite).
Many ticks have been studied and described in the context of veterinary and medical parasitology. The second most important groups are spiders and scorpions, namely, their poisonous representatives, dangerous to humans and farm animals. The remaining areas of arachnology are of purely scientific importance.
At present, the study of the biology of arachnids has gained importance for those who like to have large spiders, saltpugs and scorpions as pets, which has already turned into a fashionable trend.
Among the spiders, tarantulas are especially popular species, characterized by an impressive and harmonious physique. Some representatives have a very beautiful color.