Phylum Arthropoda Overview

Flashcards covering key concepts related to Phylum Arthropoda and its sub-classes and characteristics.

Phylum Arthropoda

The largest phylum in the Animalia kingdom, which includes spiders, scorpions, ticks, and insects, with over 1.1 million species recorded.

Cephalization

The concentration of sensory organs and nerve cells at the head end of an organism, seen in highly adapted animals.

Tagmata

Specialized body segments in arthropods that result from the fusion of segments.

Chitin

A long-chain polymer that is a major component of the exoskeleton in arthropods.

Sub-phylum Chelicerata

A subphylum within Arthropoda characterized by having six pairs of appendages including chelicerae, pedipalps, and four pairs of walking legs.

Class Arachnida

A class within Chelicerata that includes spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites.

Order Araneae

The order within Arachnida that encompasses spiders, which have specialized structures like chelicerae with fangs and book lungs.

Malpighian tubules

The excretory and osmoregulatory structures in many arthropods, functioning similarly to kidneys.

Pectines

Comb-like structures in scorpions used for tactile sensing.

Class Chilopoda

The class of arthropods that includes centipedes, characterized by one pair of appendages per segment and a carnivorous diet.

Class Diplopoda

The class of arthropods that includes millipedes, characterized by two pairs of appendages per segment and a herbivorous diet.

Repugnatorial glands

Glands in millipedes that secrete toxic substances for defense.