Q.96. Tarantulas and mosquitoes both belong to the phylum Arthropoda. Which ONE of the following
represents the correct number of legs in them respectively?
(A) 6 and 6
(B) 6 and 8
(C) 8 and 8
(D) 8 and 6

Tarantulas have 8 legs and mosquitoes have 6 legs, so the correct option is (D) 8 and 6. This matches their classification as arachnids (tarantulas) and insects (mosquitoes).​

Correct answer to the MCQ

The question asks:

“Tarantulas and mosquitoes both belong to the phylum Arthropoda. Which ONE of the following represents the correct number of legs in them respectively?”

• (A) 6 and 6

• (B) 6 and 8

• (C) 8 and 8

• (D) 8 and 6

The correct answer is (D) 8 and 6.​

• Tarantulas are spiders and belong to class Arachnida, which characteristically have four pairs of legs, i.e., 8 legs.​

• Mosquitoes are insects and belong to class Insecta, which characteristically have three pairs of legs, i.e., 6 legs.​

Why tarantulas have 8 legs

Tarantulas are large spiders and are classic representatives of arachnids.​

• Arachnids (including spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites) possess 8 walking legs attached to the cephalothorax.​

• This 8‑legged condition is a defining feature that separates arachnids from insects, which have only 6 legs.​

Because tarantulas are spiders, they follow this arachnid body plan and therefore have 8 legs.​

Why mosquitoes have 6 legs

Mosquitoes are small flying insects and are placed in the class Insecta.​

• Insects are defined by having three pairs of jointed legs, all attached to the thorax, for a total of 6 legs.​

• Authoritative descriptions of mosquito anatomy clearly state that adult mosquitoes have six legs like other insects.​

So, the mosquito part of the pair must be 6, confirming the second number in the correct option as 6.​

Explanation of all options

Option (A): 6 and 6

This option suggests tarantulas have 6 legs and mosquitoes have 6 legs.

• 6 legs is correct for mosquitoes because they are insects with three pairs of legs.​

• 6 legs is incorrect for tarantulas, because as arachnids they have 8 legs, not 6.​

Therefore, option (A) is wrong because tarantulas are misclassified in terms of leg number.

Option (B): 6 and 8

This option reverses the correct pattern and says tarantulas have 6 legs and mosquitoes have 8 legs.

• Again, tarantulas do not have 6 legs; they are spiders with 8 legs.​

• Mosquitoes do not have 8 legs; insects are defined by having only 6 legs.​

Both parts are incorrect, so option (B) is wrong.

Option (C): 8 and 8

This option suggests that both tarantulas and mosquitoes have 8 legs.

• 8 legs fits tarantulas correctly, consistent with arachnid morphology.​

• 8 legs does not fit mosquitoes, which clearly have only 6 legs as insects.​

Because only the tarantula part is correct and the mosquito part is wrong, option (C) is incorrect overall.

Option (D): 8 and 6

This option states tarantulas have 8 legs and mosquitoes have 6 legs.

• Tarantulas (spiders, class Arachnida) have 8 legs, which is a defining trait of arachnids.​

• Mosquitoes (class Insecta) have 6 legs, the standard insect leg number.​

Both values match the standard zoological description; therefore, option (D) is the correct answer.

Quick arthropod leg-number recap

Understanding basic arthropod groups helps solve similar MCQs quickly.

• Insects (e.g., mosquitoes, flies, butterflies) → 3 pairs of legs → 6 legs.​

• Arachnids (e.g., spiders, tarantulas, scorpions, ticks) → 4 pairs of legs → 8 legs.​

• Many crustaceans (e.g., crabs, lobsters) and myriapods (centipedes, millipedes) have different leg counts, but they are not classified by 6 or 8 legs in the same simple way.​

Remembering “insects = 6 legs, spiders = 8 legs” is an easy exam-friendly rule to reach the correct option (D) for this question.​