There are a few different animals that have 12 legs. The most common 12-legged creatures are insects such as cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, and spiders. Other 12-legged creatures include centipedes, millipedes, and certain crabs and lobsters.
Quick Answer
The most common 12-legged creatures are insects including cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, and spiders. Other 12-legged animals include centipedes, millipedes, and some crabs and lobsters.
Insects with 12 Legs
Here are some of the most common insects that have 12 legs:
- Cockroaches – Cockroaches are one of the most ubiquitous insects on Earth. There are over 4,000 different species of cockroaches. All cockroaches have 12 legs.
- Crickets – Crickets are insects that are known for their chirping sounds. There are around 900 species of crickets. They have long antennae, strong hind legs for jumping, and 12 legs total.
- Grasshoppers – Grasshoppers are plant-eating insects recognizable by their large hind legs used for jumping. There are over 11,000 species of grasshoppers worldwide, all having 12 legs.
- Ants – Ants are social insects that live in large colonies. There are over 12,000 known species of ants. All ants have 12 legs.
- Spiders – Spiders are arachnids, not insects, but they have 12 legs. There are over 45,000 identified species of spiders around the world.
All adult insects have 6 legs attached to their thorax or mid-section, and an additional 6 legs attached to their abdomen, for a total of 12 legs. They belong to the class Insecta in the phylum Arthropoda which is characterized by segmented bodies, hard exoskeletons, and jointed legs.
Other 12-Legged Creatures
In addition to insects, there are some other types of invertebrates that have 12 legs including:
- Centipedes – Centipedes are predatory arthropods with elongated flat bodies made up of segments, each segment bearing one pair of legs. They have anywhere from 30 to 354 legs in total.
- Millipedes – Millipedes are arthropods that feed on decaying plant material. Most millipede species have between 36 and 400 legs in total.
- Crabs and Lobsters – Most crabs have 10 legs, but spider crabs can have 12 legs. Lobsters also have 12 legs including their large front claws.
So in summary, the most common 12-legged creatures are insects, but some centipedes, millipedes, and crustaceans like crabs and lobsters can also have a dozen legs.
Differences Between Insects, Arachnids, and Myriapods
While insects, arachnids like spiders, and myriapods like centipedes and millipedes can all have a dozen legs, they are different types of arthropods:
| Characteristic | Insects | Arachnids | Myriapods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Segments | 3 segments – head, thorax, abdomen | 2 segments – cephalothorax and abdomen | Head + many similar body segments |
| Mouth Parts | Chewing or sucking | Fangs and chelicerae | For biting and grinding food |
| Antennae | One pair of antennae | None | One pair of antennae |
| Legs Per Segment | 3 pairs of legs on thorax | 4 pairs of legs | 1 or 2 pairs per segment |
| Examples | Grasshoppers, ants, bees | Spiders, scorpions | Centipedes, millipedes |
So while they all can have a total of 12 legs, insects, arachnids, and myriapods have different body plans and structures adapted for their particular lifestyles and ecological niches.
Famous 12-Legged Insects in Media and Culture
Some 12-legged insects are particularly famous in media, stories, and culture:
- Charlotte’s Web – A classic children’s book featuring a spider named Charlotte.
- James and the Giant Peach – A Roald Dahl book with a giant grasshopper named Miss Spider.
- A Bug’s Life – Pixar movie starring ants and grasshoppers.
- Antz – Dreamworks animated film about an ant colony.
- Mr. Centipede – Giant centipede character in Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach.
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Beloved picture book about a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.
Insects and other arthropods have inspired many books, films, stories, and characters due to their ubiquity, diversity, and alien-seeming anatomy including having dozens of legs.
12-Legged Creatures in Mythology and Folklore
Insects, centipedes, and millipedes feature prominently in the mythology and folklore of many cultures:
- Ancient Egypt – Scarab beetles symbolized rebirth and the sun god Ra.
- Ancient Greece – Some myths feature giant myriapods like the Lernaean Hydra.
- Japan – Giant centipedes called Ōmukade can possess people and objects.
- India – Some myths have armies of ants defeating elephants.
- Native American – Stories of Spider Woman/Grandmother Spider creating the world.
Arthropods are one of the most ancient and successful groups of organisms on the planet, so it is no surprise that 12-legged creatures like insects hold an important place in human culture and mythology.
Scientific Classification of 12-Legged Organisms
Here is how scientists classify common 12-legged organisms:
Insects
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Orders: Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera (butterflies), Hymenoptera (ants/bees), Diptera (flies), Hemiptera (cicadas), etc.
Arachnids
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Orders: Araneae (spiders), Scorpiones (scorpions), etc.
Myriapods
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Chilopoda (centipedes), Diplopoda (millipedes), etc.
Orders: Scolopendromorpha (centipedes), Polydesmida (millipedes), etc.
So insects, arachnids, and myriapods are all arthropods – invertebrates with segmented bodies, jointed appendages, and exoskeletons. But they belong to different classes with unique evolutionary histories.
Conclusion
To summarize, the most common animals with 12 legs are insects such as cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, and spiders. Other 12-legged creatures include centipedes, millipedes, and some crustaceans like crabs and lobsters. While they have a dozen legs in common, insects, arachnids, and myriapods differ in their anatomy, life cycles, and evolutionary lineages. Twelve-legged critters hold an important place in ecology as well as human culture, mythology, and storytelling.