Did you know caterpillars have two different kinds of legs? | National Geographic

Did you know caterpillars have two different kinds of legs?

They have true legs, which are retained through metamorphosis and will transform into the legs of the adult moth or butterfly, and they also have prolegs, which are only present during the larval stage. You can see the prolegs in action in the first video. Each nubby proleg is lined with extra grippy barb-like structures called crochets that keep the caterpillar securely anchored to whatever surface it’s traversing. In the second video you can see the pointy true legs, which really accentuate their manical plotting tendencies.

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National Geographic