Arthropods Flashcards
Arthropoda is a phylum belonging to which superphylum?
Ecdysozoa
What phylum do Ecdysozoa encompass?
Arthropoda, Onychophora and Tardigrada
What 4 extant subphyla can arthropoda be split into?
Hexapoda, Crustacea, Myriapoda and Chelicerata
Marine Crustacea provide the key trophic link between which 2 trophic levels?
Primary producers and higher level consumers
Why are chelicerates called chelicerates?
Due to ‘pincers’ on HEAD
When did arthropods first emerge?
Approx. 540 mya
Defining characters of arthropods
Segmentation, jointed appendages + exoskeleton
What is tagmosis?
the grouping of segments with similar functions/structures
Chelicerates fused head with thorax to form what?
Cephalothorax
what is name for segments of Appendages?
Articles
What is arthropod cuticle made from?
Chitin
What is sclerotization?
Where tanning leads to cross linking and stronger properties of arthropod cuticle exoskeleton
What is ecdysis?
periodic moulting of exoskeleton
What is a negative of moulting?
Vunerability- 80-90% arthropod mortality linked to moulting
What are the 5 major subgroups of chelicerata?
Spiders, scorpions, mites + tcks, horse she crabs, sea spider