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Explain how arthropods are economically beneficial and harmful?

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Economic Importance of Phylum Arthropoda : 

(A) Beneficial Importance 

In phylum arthropoda, the insects are of much importance and the insects are reared at occupational level. 

(i) Apiculture: The rearing of honey bees to obtain honey & wax is called as apiculture. The honey is used as food and medicine. As medicine, the honey is used to correct cough, cold, fever, ulcers etc. Two Indian species of honey bees are – 

  • Apis dorsata
  • Apisindica 

(ii) Lac Culture: The rearing of lac insect is called as lac culture. The scientific name of lac insect is Tacchardici lacca. The lac is a red coloured resin which is secreted by abdominal glands found in female lac insect. The lac is used to form coating around the female insect and the twig on which it is residing. The leading producer of lac are Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, WB-Maharastra States of India. 

(iii) Sericulture : The silk is produced by an insect called silk worm. The rearing of silk worm is called as sericulture. A different species of silk worm produces a different type of silk. The Bombyx mini produces mulberry silk and it is reared in captivity on mulberry leaves. Antheraea paphici produces tussore silk, Antheraea assama produces muga silk, Antheraea recini produces eri silk, Anther area produces oak silk. The silk thread is made up of fibroin and serisin proteins. 

(iv) Prawn Farming (Shrimp fish Farming) 

The prawn (Palaemon) is also called as Jhinga machhali. The prawn is a popular sea food and it is cultivated at large scale in South India. There are many species of prawn such as Fenneropenaeus indicus (Formerly Penaeus indicus), Palaemon longicornis, Penaeus monodon, metapenaeus affinis etc.

(v) Pollination of flowers : 

Most of the pollination in the plants is perforbed by honey bees, bumble bees and other insects. 

(vi) Edible insects – 

Insects are the food for many types of animals such as birds, lizards and fishes which in turn are consumed by human beings as food. 

(vii) Destruction of harmful insects : 

Some of the members of this phylum help human beings by feeding harmful insects. For example – Dragon fly feeds on harmful misquotes. 

(viii) Medicine synthesis – Blister beetle (Meloidae) is an insect of genus Lytta. It’s blood is used to synthesize cantheridine medicine which is meant for hair growth. Chochined bug (Dactylopius coats) is also called as Lahi. It is dark red in color. The dried and head insects are used to make chochineal dye. This dye is used to impart color in medicines, cough syrap, cosmetic products etc. 

(B) Harmful 

(i) Vector of diseases – Many insects act as vector host. The vector host transmit the parasite from one primary host to second primary host. 

  • Anopheles quadrimaculatis – Malaria fever 
  • culexpipuns – Elephantiasis 
  • Aedes egypti – yellow fever
  • Phlabotomus argentipus brankti – Kala azar fever 
  • Musca domestica (House fly) – Colera, Typhoid, Diarrhea 
  • Cimax lectualrius (bed bug) – Typhus fever, TB 
  • Pediculus humanus capites (Human lice) – Typhus fever, Itching
  • Glossina palpalis (Tsetse fly) – African sleeping sickness 
  • Xenopsylla cheopis – Plague 

(ii) Pests of stored grains – Many insects destroy stored food material. Such as- 

  • Sitophilus oryzae (Rice weevil) – Rice 
  • Sitotroga cerealella (Angoumois grain moth – Many cereals 
  • Tribolium confusum (confused flour beetle) or Red beetle – All types flour & whole cereals. 
  • Podia interpunctella (Indian meal moth) – Wheat etc. 
  • Tragoderma granarium (Khapra beetle) – Wheat & other grains 

(iii) House hold pests – Many insects destroy various household times. Such as – 

  • Lepisma saccharian (silver fish) – Old books cloth 
  • Liposcelis transvaalensis (Book louse) – Old books 
  • Monomorium indicum (white ant) – Wooden articles 
  • Mastotermes obesi (Termite) – Wooden articles.

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