How many legs does a caterpillar have?

A typical number of caterpillar legs is 16, but it varies depending on the stage and the type of caterpillar. All caterpillars have a pair of three true legs attached to the thorax.

Usually, moths and butterflies that are in the same family will feature the same number of legs on their caterpillars. Most caterpillars feature five pairs of prolegs, which are cylindrical and not segmented. The prolegs are useful in clinging and walking due to their microscopic hooks. The last pair of legs, located on the lower abdominal segment, is referred to as claspers. However, there are those caterpillars that do not have legs at all.