Arthropods

Characteristics of Arthropods
 Segmented
 Jointed appendages
 Hard external skeleton
 3 parts-head, thorax, abdomen (arachnids
exception)
 Exoskeleton-hard, external skeleton made of
chitin
 Molting- shed old exoskeleton and secrete a
larger one, very vulnerable after molting
 Body parts
 Ganglia-clusters of nerve cells along a nerve
cord
 Compound eyes-may facets each with their
own lenses, some have single lenses and some
have both
 Spiracles-holes in the exoskeleton that allow
gas exchange (book lungs in arachnids)
 Trachea-chitin lined tubes in spiracles
Arthropod Ancestors-Trilobites
 Diversity of Arthropods
 First arthropods evolved in sea about 560 mya
 4,000 species of trilobites
 Spider-like arthropods abundant in sea 300
mya, only 4 species left-horseshoe crabs-
changed very little
 Crustaceans live in mostly aquatic
environments, specialization of
appendages;claws
 Types
 Curstaceans-lobsers, crayfish, rabs, shrimp,
barnacles, copepods, Isopods
(pillbugs,sowbugs)
 Arachnids-spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks
 Insects-beetles, ants, grasshoppers, butterflies,
dragonflies,etc
 Myriapods- centipedes-venomous, millipedes-
toxic chemicals, smell/taste bad
 Class Arachnida
 Scorpions, spider, ticks, mites
 2 boy sections-cephalothorax and abdomen
 Chelicerae-fanglike mouthparts to paralyze
prey with poison
 Pedipalps-mouthpart typically used to
manipulate prey once it has been paralyzed or
for mating
 Malpighian tubules-remove wastes from fluids
in body cavity
 Arachnids
 Book lungs-specialized respiratory structures
and provide large surface for gas exchange,
some use trachea
 Almost all arachnids live on land and have
several adaptations to help them retain water.
 Types
 Spiders-have silk glands made from
spinnerets; many hunt for prey or use webs
 Scorpions-nighttime hunters in deserts,
venomous stinger at the end of the tail, body
glows in a black light
 Mites/ticks-suck sap or blood, sucking
mouthparts, transmit diseases, Lyme disease,
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick paralysis
Spiders
Not really spiders but close…
Scorpians
All scorpians
glow in a
black light
Mites and Ticks
 Class Crustacea
 Decapods-ten legs, pincers and walking legs,
most are marine, crayfish are freshwater and a
few land crabs exist in tropical areas
 2 body parts-cephalothorax and abdomen
 Carapace-portion of the exoskeleton that cover
cephalothorax
 Mandibles-bite and grind food
 Lobsters, crayfish, crabs, shrimp
 Barnacles and Copepods
 Barnacles secrete calcium carbonate to make
their shells
 Copepods are very small but play a big part in
food chains
 Isopods
 Most are small marine crustaceans, but also
include large animals and terrestrial
pillbugs/sowbugs
Decapods
Isopods
Barnacles and Copepods
 Class Insecta
 3 main body parts-head, thorax, abdomen
 6 walking legs
 Wings
 Malpighian tubules for waste
 Tracheal system and spiracles for gas exchange
 Young often have completely different behavioral
and eating patterns in complete metamorphosis
 Entomology-study of insects
 Class Insecta-Complete
Metamorphosis
 Changes from one completely different form
into another adult form.
 Has various stages of larva and pupa before
becoming an adult
 Pupa is an inactive stage in which a cocoon
forms and the insect undergoes major physical
and chemical changes.
 Examples are: butterflies, moths, wasps, bees,
beetles
 Class Insecta-Incomplete
Metamorphosis
 Insect goes through various stages of molting
and growing but remain basically the same.
 Young grows bigger and bigger but has same
feeding habits and physical appearance
 Examples are: praying mantis, crickets and
grasshoppers
 Class Insecta Includes Many Insect
Orders
 Coleoptera- beetles
 Lepidoptera-butterflies and moths
 Diptera- flies and mosquitoes
 Hymenoptera- ants, bees, wasps
 Hemiptera- the true “bugs” stinkbugs, water striders
 Orthoptera- crickets and grasshoppers
 Odonata- dragonflies and damselflies
 Isoptera- Termites
 Homoptera- cicadas, aphids
Order Coleoptera

Larval Beetle
Forms
Order Lepidoptera

Larval
Forms
Order
Diptera
Order Hymenoptera
 Order
Hemiptera

The Kissing
Bug, transmits
the deadly
Chagas
disease!
Order Orthoptera
Order Odonata

Larval Forms
Order Homoptera

Molted skin
Order Isoptera

Termite Queen