( Arachnida ) of joint-legged invertebrate animals( arthropods ), in the subphylum Chelicerata . Almost all adult arachnids have eight legs , although the front pair of legs in some species has converted to a sensory function, while in other species, different appendages can grow large enough to take on the appearance of extra pairs of legs. The term is derived from the Greek word ἀράχνη ( aráchnē ), from the myth of the hubristic human weaver Arachne who was turned into a spider. [1] Spiders are the largest order in the class, which also includes scorpions , ticks , mites , harvestmen , and solifuges . [2]
Almost all extantarachnids are terrestrial , living mainly on land. However, some inhabit freshwater environments and, with the exception of the pelagic zone , marine environments as well. They comprise over 100,000 named species .