why are there a huge amount of different insect varieties, like in ants, but only a small amount of different varieties in animals such as crocodiles?

Question

why are there a huge amount of different insect varieties, like in ants, but only a small amount of different varieties in animals such as crocodiles?

In: Biology

Answer 1

There’s lots of great answers here. I’d also like to add that short life cycles and large quantities off offspring offer a large pool for desirable mutations coupled with more opportunities to perpetuate those mutations.