What are sowbugs and pillbugs more closely related to?

What are sowbugs and pillbugs more closely related to?

• A. Insects
• B. Amphibians
• C. Crustaceans
• D. Reptiles

Answer: (C)

Sowbugs and pillbugs are more closely related to crustaceans because they belong to the class Malacostraca, which is the largest class of crustaceans. This classification includes animals such as crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. Although sowbugs and pillbugs are often mistaken for insects due to their segmented bodies and multiple legs, they are actually terrestrial crustaceans. They possess characteristics typical of crustaceans, including a hard exoskeleton and gills for respiration (even though they are adapted for life on land, they require moist environments to breathe through their gills). Understanding their classification helps clarify their biological and ecological roles, distinguishing them from true insects, amphibians, or reptiles, which belong to different taxa entirely.

Sowbugs and pillbugs are more closely related to crustaceans because they belong to the class Malacostraca, which is the largest class of crustaceans. This classification includes animals such as crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. Although sowbugs and pillbugs are often mistaken for insects due to their segmented bodies and multiple legs, they are actually terrestrial crustaceans. They possess characteristics typical of crustaceans, including a hard exoskeleton and gills for respiration (even though they are adapted for life on land, they require moist environments to breathe through their gills). Understanding their classification helps clarify their biological and ecological roles, distinguishing them from true insects, amphibians, or reptiles, which belong to different taxa entirely.