Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 July 2017
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of arthropods in the history of life. In terms of diversity and abundance, modern arthropods embody the ultimate success of the metazoa. Their prominence stems from an innovative, durable body plan, allowing mobility and adaptability for almost any environment in the earth's biosphere. Arthropods have been able to exploit an enormous range of lifestyles, becoming a conspicuous biotic component of many marine and terrestrial settings.