Arthropods
By: Audrey Kent- Mitcham Period 2
Background Information
Chorthippus brunneus
The Chorthippus brunneus (common grasshopper) are found all over in North America, Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. They have three pairs of legs with a pair of antennae and segmented bodies. This specific species of grasshopper play a vital role in feeding and consuming organisms in its food chain. There are either male or female grasshopper that reproduce using sexual reproduction
Procambarus clarkii
The Procambarus clarkii (common crayfish) have segmented bodies and four pairs of legs that include a pair of claws. They prefer freshwater and are found mostly in the south eastern United States. This specific species of crayfish play a vital role in consuming and feeding organisms in its food chain. There are either male or female crayfish that reproduce using sexual reproduction.
Grasshopper Habitat
Grasshoppers are found all over the world and prefer dry, open habitats found in grasslands, farms and can even be found in forests. They cannot survive in extremely cold regions or high mountain tops. There some grasshoppers that live close to water and can swim.
Crayfish Habitat
Crayfish are native to southeastern United States and are found on almost every continent except Antarctica. They live in freshwater habitats like marshes, rivers and reservoirs. Crayfish also burrow in the ground as well.
grasshopper predators
Grasshoppers are preyed on by many organisms such as skunks, shrews, moles, salamanders, preying mantis and toads. They use camouflage to hide from predators by blending in with their surroundings.
Crayfish predators
Crayfish are preyed on by many organisms such as gulls, raccoon, snakes muskrats and opossums. They are also prey to various birds such as gulls, Egrets and Great Heron.
grasshopper prey
Grasshoppers eat various plants such as grasses, leaves, and cereal crops. They prefer to consume vegetation but many are omnivores. Some manly eat one species of plant throughout their life but many eat multiple plant species.
crayfish prey
Crayfish are omnivores and can eat most organisms. They tend to eat anything that falls to the bottom of the water and tend not to hunt for food. Crayfish can consume dead fish, plants and insects.
ecological niche of grasshopper
The niche of a grasshopper involves stabilizing the food chain by being omnivores and consuming it prey. They also stabilize their food chain by being consumed by its predators. Another vital role to their niche is reproducing because their offspring will have the same niche that is just as important.
ecological niche of crayfish
The niche of a crayfish involves stabilizing the food chain by being decomposers and being eaten by its carnivorous predators. They also play a vital role in reproducing because their offspring will have the same niche that is just as important.
ecological adaptation of grasshopper
Hind Legs
Hind legs allow grasshoppers to jump twenty times their length.
Camouflage
Camouflage allows grasshoppers to blend in with their surroundings.
Wings
Wings help with mobility when grasshoppers jump.
ecological adaptation of crayfish
Eyes
Crayfish have adapted to murky waters by having their eyes on short stem. The stems allow the eyes to move around to see better.
Antennae
Crayfish have a pair of antennae that are sensitive to movement.
Camouflage
Camouflage allows crayfish to blend in with their surroundings.
evolutionary relationships of grasshopper
evolutionary relationships of crayfish
Objectives
Students will classifying various arthropods such as grasshoppers and crayfish. They will also observe their external and internal anatomy of the specimens and be able to identify each part. The links below provide great information about arthropods and this assignment.
Classifying Arthropods
Grasshopper Anotonamy
Crayfish Anotonamy
Circulatory System of Grasshopper
Grasshoppers have an open circulatory system where blood Flows freely through the body which begins at the hemolymph. It then goes through large blood vessels, into the coelem, to the abdomen and finally the heart.
Circulatory system of Crayfish
Crayfish have a open circulatory system which means they have no veins or arteries and blood flows freely through the body. Begins at the blood starts at hemolymph, then goes through large blood vessels, into the coelem, to the abdomen and finally the heart.
Classifying Arthropods in Person
Classifying arthropods during the lab ended up being really interesting and allowed me to see each body part of the specimen in person. This ended up being a great hands on experience and I learned so much from it.
Cross Unit content
Ecology of Grasshopper
The link below has amazing information over the ecology of grasshoppers. There are great lengths of detail describing events in its life and it is very useful.
Ecology of Crayfish
This article is very informative and describes in great detail the ecology of the crayfish. The link below explains every part of crayfishes life and you can learn a lot from it.
Evolution of garsshopper
The link below explains how grasshoppers have evolved through the years and the different event that have occurred throughout their evolution. The article is very interesting and has great information.
Evolution of crayfish
The link below explains the evolution of a crayfish very well. There is great information and describes in detail events that have cause the crayfish to evolve to what it is now.
Grasshopper taxonomy
Kingdom: Animilia
Phylum: Arthropod
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Chorthippus
Species: brunneus
Crayfish taxonomy
Kingdom: Animilia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Cambaridae
Genus: Procambarus
Species: clarkii
Human Impact/influences of grasshopper
The link below contains great information about how humans have impacted grasshoppers and have influenced their actions. The article is very informative and describes how grasshoppers have changed since the human influence.
human impact/influences of crayfish
There is great information over the influences and impacts humans have on crayfish in the link below. The article describes the effect off human influence on the crayfish and how the have reacted.
do you know arthropods? quiz yourself!
Citations
- "Evolution: Crayfish Teeth Bite Back | Nature Communications | Nature Publishing Group."Evolution: Crayfish Teeth Bite Back | Nature Communications | Nature Publishing Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- "Arthropoda.html 33_29ArthropodAnatomy.jpg." Arthropoda.html 33_29ArthropodAnatomy.jpg. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- "Biology4Kids Quiz: Arthropods." Biology4Kids.com: Arthropods Quiz. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- "Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus Brunneus)." Common Field Grasshopper Videos, Photos and Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- "Wanstead Birder." : August 2009. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- "Chorthippus Brunneus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Mar. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- "Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation." Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- "Crayfish Environments." Crayfish Environments. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.