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Caterpillar
Body Parts
Caterpillars are insects.
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Do you
know how many eyes a caterpillar has? On the head of
a caterpillar there are twelve simple eyes (six on each side)
There is an antenna, a
mouthpart and a spinneret (which produces the silken thread)
on the head of a caterpillar.
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The three body parts of a caterpillar
are the Head, Thorax and Abdomen.
The thorax of a caterpillar is in three
segmented parts. Each part has a pair of thoracic legs and
there is a pair of spiracles on the first thorax segment only.
The abdomen of a caterpillar has its
spiracles (breathing holes) on each side of the first eight segments.
Pairs of ventral prolegs are held at segments three to six (last
being the crochet) and the last segment has the pair of anal prolegs. The
prolegs have crochets (series of hooks) which help the caterpillar
to walk and to grip onto objects.
Caterpillars do not have lungs, they breathe
through holes in their skin called spiracles. This air is passed
to the trachea or tubes and the tubes take the oxygen to the other
parts of the caterpillar's body.
Caterpillars have sharp spikes to warn
away other animals.
Caterpillars have teeth.
Most caterpillars' bodies have minute
spines called spinules. Some caterpillars' bodies are smooth.
Some caterpillars have scented horns that
pop out and give off an odour to scare off enemies.
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