Arthropod in Arthropada
explore an arthropod
Karen Rayas
Scientific Name
Arthropods have a segmented body, a tough exoskeleton, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are surrounded by a tough external covering. The exoskeleton is like a suit of armor that supports the body of an arthropod. All arthropods have joined appendages. Jointed appendages are so distinctive of arthropods that the phylum name for them is arthron means "joint" in Greek, and podos means "foot". Crustaceans is are under the class Remipedia
Habitat
Crustaceans live in various habitats. Some live in the ocean, some live in freshwater. Marine crustaceans live in oceans such as crabs, lobsters, and fish. Freshwater crustaceans live in rivers, lakes or streams, Organisms that are freshwater crustaceans are Anomopoda, Crayfish, Daphnia. Terrestrial Crustaceans live on land. Organisms that are terrestrial are Aratus pisonii, Cardisoma, and Discoplax.
Predator & Prey
Most crustaceans are scavengers, feeding on scraps and dead matter. Crabs, shrimp and prawns search for food mainly at night and hide in crevices during the day. Barnacles mostly remain in place and filter plankton in the water. The predators of arthropods are us, humans, birds and other large animals.
Ecological Adaptations
The evolution of arthropods, by natural selection and other processes, has led to fewer body segments and highly specialized appendages for feeding, movement and other functions. Arthropods appendages have evolved into different forms that are adapted in ways that enable them to perform different functions. These appendages include antennae, claws, walking legs, wings, flippers, mouth parts, tails, and other specialized structures. Body segments were lost or fused over time.
Niche
Lobster and crabs sometimes like to dwell in cold dark areas so they can hide from their prey.They mostly come out during the night already set to forage for food. Some apply to terrestrial crustaceans as well. They choose to hide in crevices or caves during the dya and at night come out o hunt.
External Anatomy of Grasshopper
Grasshoppers like all insects have a three part body like the head, thorax, and abdomen.They have compound eyes, jumping legs and layers of wings to fly. Their segemented body is made up of a hard exoskeleton of tagmata.