Lesson 5.

PHYLUM ARTHROPODA
(JOINT FOOTED ANIMALS)
Learning Outcomes
▪ Describe the defining and general
characteristics of Phylum Arthropoda;
▪ Classify the different taxonomic groups
of arthropods; and
▪ Explain why arthropods are found in
almost every kind of habitat
Phylum Arthropoda
▪ Greek words arthron = joint, pous = foot
▪ animals with jointed legs
▪ most abundant animals (numbers & diversity)
→ ~1 million species; 80% of all animals
▪ first fossils appeared ~535-525 million years ago
Phylum Arthropoda
▪ DEFINING FEATURES: body covered with a
chitinous exoskeleton (hard) & jointed appendages
Characteristics of Arthropods
▪ Segmented, bilateral body
▪ Open circulatory system
▪ Ventral nerve cord (nervous)
Characteristics of Arthropods
▪ Compound eyes
▪ 3 body tagmata or segments
Characteristics of Arthropods
▪ Most successful – tremendous adaptive
diversity enabled them to survive in virtually
every habitat

1. Versatile exoskeleton (protection, flexibility, mobility)

2. Segmentation and appendages for more
efficient locomotion
3. Oxygen piped directly to cells (terrestrial)
4. Highly developed sensory organs
5. Complex behavior
6. Metamorphosis
Characteristics of Arthropods
▪ Exoskeleton – a.k.a. cuticle
 covers the entire arthropod body; tough
 thin & flexible e.g., insect larvae
 divided into sections, connected by articular
membranes (forming joints)
 joints enable arthropods to move
Characteristics of Arthropods
▪ Exoskeleton – a.k.a. cuticle
 secreted by epidermis or hypodermis
 problem in growing because it is tough (hard)
→ periodic shedding of exoskeleton
(molting or ecdysis)
Arthropod – Annelid Relationship
▪ Arthropods like Annelids are segmented
▪ segmentation is evident in the
embryonic development in arthopods

▪ as in annelids, growth results from

addition of new segments to the region
immediately anterior to the terminal
section of the body (telson)

▪ within many Arthropod groups there is a

tendency for segmentation to become
reduced
Arthropod Groups

Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum
Chelicerata Trilobita Crustacea Myriapoda Hexapoda

C. Merostomata C. Remipedia C. Diplopoda

C. Arachnida C. Cephalocarida C. Chilopoda
O. Araneae C. Branchiopoda
C. Insecta
O. Acari C. Maxillopoda
C. Cirripedia
C. Copepoda
C. Malacostraca
C = Class O. Decapoda
O = Order
1.Subphylum Trilobita (trilobites)
▪ fossil marine arthropods
▪ all extinct now
▪ 200 million years ago
▪ one pair of antennae
▪ biramous appendages
2.Subphylum Chelicerata
▪ have chelicerae
(1st pair of appendages)
▪ chelicerae – pincers or fangs
▪ no antennae, no mandibles
▪ simple eyes
▪ 4 pairs of walking legs
▪ 1 pair of pedipalps
– feeding or reproduction
2.Subphylum Chelicerata
Class Merostomata Class Arachnida
▪ fossils dates back to ▪ spiders, scorpions, ticks,
Triassic (245 million mites
years ago) ▪ mostly free-living & are
▪ with carapace & telson far more common in
▪ Limulus (horseshoe warm, dry regions
crab) ▪ >70,000 spp.
2.Subphylum Chelicerata
Class Merostomata Class Arachnida
▪ fossils dates back to ▪ 4 pairs of legs
Triassic (245 million ▪ 2 body segments
years ago) (except mites & ticks)
▪ with carapace & telson ▪ mostly predators
▪ Limulus (horseshoe ▪ inject enzymes into prey
crab)
▪ suck fluid into pharynx
2.Subphylum Chelicerata
Class Arachnida
Order Araneae Order Acari
(spiders) (ticks & mites)
▪ have fangs with ▪ fused segments
poison glands ▪ parasitic (blood suckers)
▪ have silk glands – vertebrates,
▪ e.g., Dugesiella invertebrates, plants
(tarantula)
3.Subphylum Crustacea
▪ defining characteristic: the only arthropods with
two pairs of antennae
▪ marine & freshwater
▪ most with carapace
▪ biramous appendage (2 branches)
3.Subphylum Crustacea

1.Class Remipedia
2.Class Cephalocarida
3.Class Branchiopoda
4.Class Maxillapoda
5.Class Malacostraca
Order Decapoda
6.Class Cirripedia
7.Class Copepoda
3.Subphylum Crustacea
1.Class Remipedia
▪ Latin word remipedes = oar-footed
▪ very small (1-4 cm long)
▪ 28 species, 8 families, 12 genera
▪ living in caves that have connections
with the sea
▪ no carapace, eyes & pigmentation
▪ have large cephalic appendages (head)
▪ swimming appendages laterally present on each
segment
▪ animals swim on their back; generally slow-moving
3.Subphylum Crustacea
2.Class Cephalocarida
▪ 12 bottom-dwelling species uniramous antennule

▪ horseshoe shrimp
▪ no carapace; lack compound
eyes (muddy habitat)
abdominal
▪ abdominal appendages appendages
▪ uniramous antennule biramous
▪ biramous antennae antennae
3.Subphylum Crustacea
3.Class Branchiopoda
▪ 800 species (water fleas, brine
shrimp, fairy shrimp)
▪ carapace: absent or present
▪ no maxillipeds
▪ antennules reduced
▪ with compound eyes
▪ capable of parthenogenesis
(growing from unfertilized eggs)
▪ feeding: suspension feeding, scraping
3.Subphylum Crustacea
4.Class Maxillopoda
▪ 5 cephalic segments cephalic
▪ 6 thoracic segments appendages

▪ 4 abdominal segments thoracic

▪ telson appendages

▪ no abdominal appendages abdominal

appendages
3.Subphylum Crustacea
5.Class Malacostraca
▪ ~3/4 of known crustaceans
▪ include the largest crustacean cephalic
appendages
Order Decapoda
thoracic
▪ crabs, lobsters, prawns, appendages
shrimps
abdominal
▪ commercially important appendages
3.Subphylum Crustacea
5.Class Malacostraca
Order Decapoda
cephalic
▪ 3 pairs maxilliped appendages
▪ 5 pairs walking legs (1st pair modified into chelae)
thoracic
appendages

abdominal
appendages
3.Subphylum Crustacea
6.Class Cirripedia
▪ barnacles, ~1000 species
cephalic
▪ attached to hard substrates appendages
▪ suspension feeders
▪ live enclosed in calcareous plates
▪ all marine
abdominal
appendages
3.Subphylum Crustacea
7.Class Copepoda
▪ ~11,500 species
▪ have thorax with 6 segments
▪ 1st thorax segment is fused to the head
▪ have single median eye

abdominal
appendages
3.Subphylum Crustacea
7.Class Copepoda
▪ important component of plankton community

abdominal
appendages
4.Subphylum Myriapoda
▪ many legs
▪ head has a pair of antennae
cephalic
▪ 3 pairs of appendages modified as mouthparts,
appendages
including jaw-like mandibles
thoracic
appendages

abdominal
appendages
4.Subphylum Myriapoda
Class Diplopoda Class Chilopoda
(millipedes) (centipedes)
▪ each trunk segment ▪ each trunk segment has
has 2 pairs of legs 1 pair of legs
▪ feed on decaying ▪ carnivores
leaves & other plant
matter
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta
▪ most diverse & abundant cephalic
group appendages

▪ body has 3 regions: thoracic

head, thorax with 2 pairs appendages
of wings, abdomen with
abdominal
3 pairs of legs appendages
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta
▪ nervous system: cerebral ganglion & nerve cords
▪ sensory organs: concentrated incephalic
the head
appendages
▪ open circulatory system
thoracic
appendages

abdominal
appendages
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta
▪ open circulatory system
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta
▪ respiration: tracheal tubes open to the outside body
through the spiracles (pores) – allow
cephalic0 to enter &
2
appendages
diffuse directly to cells
thoracic
appendages

abdominal
appendages
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta
▪ excretory system: malpighian tubes remove
metabolic wastes from hemolyphcephalic
appendages

thoracic
appendages

abdominal
appendages
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta
▪ ability to fly: key to great success of this group
cephalic
 allow to escape predators appendages

 find food & mates

thoracic
 dispersion to other habitats appendages

abdominal
appendages
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta
▪ sexual reproduction
▪ undergo metamorphoses (transformation)
cephalic
appendages
 complete (holometabolous) – 88% of insects
 incomplete (hemimetabolus) or gradual
thoracic– 12% of insects
appendages

abdominal
appendages
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta: BENEFICIAL INSECTS
▪ Honey bee
Honey
Pollinates crops
▪ Lady bug
Eats harmful insects
▪ Silkworm moth
Lava produces silk
Breakdown dung
Honey bees
Lady bugs
Silkworm moth
5.Subphylum Hexapoda (6 legs)
Class Insecta: HARMFUL INSECTS
▪ Tent catepillar
Pest of many trees and shrubs
▪ Boll weevil
Destroys cotton
▪ Mosquitos
Vector
Malaria
Yellow fever
Encephalitis
West Nile virus
▪ Flea
Vector for Plague
flea
Tent caterpillar
mosquito
Arthropod Groups

Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum
Chelicerata Trilobita Crustacea Myriapoda Hexapoda

- with - marine - 2 pairs of - many legs - six legs

chelicerae fossils antennae - 3 pairs of
(claw-like) antennae