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Did you know that arthropods represent the fundamental basis on which all ecosystems on the planet develop? Their vital importance lies in the fact that they intervene in the vast majority of the flows of matter and energy that are maintained by the biological communities of animals, plants and other organisms that constitute the ecosystems of every corner of the Earth. In addition, they are the largest group of animals that exists, since, of the 1.6 million animal species currently known, 75% of them belong to the group of Arthropods. Insects, arachnids, crustaceans, myriapods, and other lesser-known groups of animals make up the vast and diverse world of arthropods.
If you want to know each and every one of the different types of arthropods that exist, as well as their main characteristics, in this Green Ecologist article you will find all the information you need to learn what are arthropods: characteristics, classification and examples.
What are arthropods
Arthropods are invertebrate animals that constitute the most numerous and diverse phylum within the 29 phyla that make up the Animalia or Animal Kingdom.
They appeared on the face of the Earth about 600 or 500 million years. Various evolutionary studies have revealed how arthropods most likely evolved from some type of worm similar to the marine annelids that exist today, such that the distinct segments that characterize arthropods could be an evolution of the homologous segments of these worms.
In the next sections we will see in detail what are the main characteristics that define this extensive group of animals, as well as many examples of arthropods to get to know them more closely.
Characteristics of arthropods
Arthropods present many common features that allow grouping various invertebrate animals that at first glance may appear very different from each other, but in reality all share a series of anatomical and functional characteristics that allow them to be grouped within the phylum Arthropods. Let's see in the following list which ones are said main characteristics of arthropods:
- They present a body made up of different articulated segments, appendages, and an exoskeleton.
- Respiration in arthropods is usually through tracheal systems that allow gas exchange with the atmosphere, although some groups of aquatic arthropods have gill respiration. Learn about Tracheal Breathing Animals here.
- They have a digestive system adapted to the different hunting and digestion strategies that characterize each type of arthropod, sometimes having poisonous glands that allow them to attack their prey more effectively or the ability to digest their food with the help of substances. Chemicals.
- The reproduction of arthropods is usually sexual, with the intervention of female and male organisms, although some species are hermaphrodites and others are capable of reproducing asexually. Those that do it by asexual reproduction, mostly do it through parthenogenesis and other methods that allow the survival and development of their individuals.
- They have had great evolutionary success, since they have conquered different habitats: from the marine and fresh aquatic systems, as well as the subsoil, the land surface and the air.
Classification of arthropods
As mentioned above, arthropods make up the phylum Arthropods. This immense edge is divided into four subphiles within which different classes are included. Let's see them in detail in the following complete classification of arthropods:
- Subfilo Unirrámeos: Class Diplopods (millipedes), Chilopods (centipedes), Pauropods (small animals with 9-10 pairs of legs and no eyes), Symphyla (garden centipedes), and Insects.
- Subphylum Crustaceans: Class Branchiopods (cladocerans and other small crustaceans with white blades), Remípeds (strange blind crustaceans that live in caves at great depth, in marine ecosystems), Cephalocarids (few species of benthic crustaceans), Maxilopods (small copepods and other crustaceans size with a reduced abdomen), Ostracods (microscopic, with valves) and Malacostráceos (crustaceans better known as lobsters, crayfish, etc.).
- Subphylum Quelicerados: Class Arachnids (spiders, scorpions and mites), Merostomados (horseshoe crabs), and Picnogónids (sea spiders).
- Extinct subphylum Trilobitomorphs: it included the fascinating trilobites.
Examples of arthropods
As we have seen in the previous section, it is possible to differentiate various types of arthropods according to their anatomical structures and phylogeny. Within this incredible variety, the myriapods are the simplest and most primitive arthropods (they only have a head and thorax), while arachnids have the head and thorax fused, giving rise to the "cephalothorax", and the insects appear as arthropods more evolved, in which the head is composed of the fusion of six different segments in which antennae and mouthparts are inserted, together with a thorax with three segments and an abdomen with eleven, both parts with appendages and structures associated with locomotion and other vital functions of these amazing invertebrates.
Let's see in the following list many examples of arthropods most surprising that we can find in each and every one of the different ecosystems on the planet:
- Mites
- Spiders
- Crabs (marine and freshwater)
- Horseshoe or pan crabs
- Prawns
- Spider crabs
- Crawfish
- Cladoceros
- Mealybugs
- Copepods
- Cockroaches
- Beetles
- Scorpions
- Krill
- Lobsters
- Dragonflies
- Praying mantis
- Butterflies
- Myriapods
If you want to read more articles similar to What are arthropods: characteristics, classification and examples, we recommend that you enter our Biodiversity category.
Bibliography- Palacios, J. & Mejía, B. (2014) Illustrated guide for edaphic arthropods. Las presas de Ciencias Magazine, National Library of Mexico, pp: 7-20 .
- Buchelly, F. J. & Pencue Fierro, L. (2009) Classification and Identification of Arthropods by Digital Image Processing. Bistua: Journal of the Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Pamplona (Colombia). Volume 7 (1), pp. 1-6.
