Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "arthropod" yana nufin wani babban phylum na dabbobi masu rarrafe waɗanda suke da ƙafafu masu haɗin gwiwa da wani yanki mai sassauƙa. Wannan rukunin ya haɗa da kwari, gizo-gizo, crustaceans, da siffofi masu alaƙa. Arthropods suna da alamun exoskeletons masu wuyar gaske, waɗanda ke ba da tallafi da kariya, da ikon su narke ko zubar da yadudduka na waje yayin da suke girma. Ana samun su a wurare daban-daban, tun daga zurfin teku zuwa saman tsaunuka mafi tsayi, kuma suna taka muhimmiyar rawa a cikin halittu a matsayin mafarauta, ganima, da lalata.