Functions and Characteristics of Arthropods

What are the functions of the appendages in crayfish?

Antennae - sensory; Claws - defense; Walking Legs - movement; Swimmerettes/Tail - swimming and reproduction.

What are the functions of the appendages in grasshoppers?

Walking Legs - movement; Jumping Leg - jumping.

What are the functions of the appendages in spiders?

Walking Legs - movement; Mouth parts - grasping and eating; Fangs - poison prey; Spinnerets - make silk.

What is the structure that provides a hard outer covering for arthropods?

Exoskeleton.

What is a compound eye and how is it structured?

A compound eye consists of thousands of ommatidia.

What are the characteristics of Diplopods?

Millipedes (Diplopoda) are segmented, worm-like animals with 2 pairs of legs per segment, primarily herbivores and decomposers.

What are the characteristics of Chilopods?

Centipedes (Chilopoda) usually live on land, eat other animals, have 1 pair of antennae, and are often poisonous, using front claws to immobilize prey.

How many pairs of appendages do Crustacea have?

5 pairs of appendages.

How many pairs of appendages do Arachnida have?

4 pairs of appendages.

How many pairs of appendages do Insects have?

3 pairs of appendages.

What is the body symmetry of arthropods?

Bilateral symmetry.

Do arthropods exhibit cephalization?

Yes, they exhibit cephalization.

How many embryonic germ cell layers do arthropods have?

They have three embryonic germ cell layers.

What type of coelom do arthropods possess?

True coelom.

How many openings does the digestive tract of arthropods have?

2 openings.

What is segmentation in arthropods?

All arthropods are both internally and externally segmented.

What are the five major classes of arthropods?

Diplopoda, Chilopoda, Crustacea, Arachnida, Insecta.

What is the significance of the number of legs in classifying arthropods?

Arthropods are broken down by how many legs they have.

What is the estimated number of insects alive at any given time?

A billion billion insects.

How long have arthropods been around?

More than 500 million years.

What is the evolutionary origin of arthropods?

They evolved from tiny internal parasites to giant bird-eating predators.