Arthropods

Chapter 15 Section 3
Objectives:

List the 4 main characteristics of

arthropods

Describe the different body parts of 4 kinds

of arthropods

Describe the 2 types of metamorphosis in

insects
Arthropods:

Have lived for hundreds of millions of years

Adapted to nearly every environment

Insects, spiders, crabs, and centipedes

Largest group of animals on Earth (75% of

all animal species)
Characteristics of
Arthropods:
 Segmented & specialized
 3 main body parts: head, thorax, abdomen
 Structures: wings, antennae, gills, pincers, claws

 Jointed limbs
 Arthro means “joint”, pod means “foot”
 Easier movement

 External skeleton
 Hard outer covering made of protein and chitin
 Protection, keeps from drying out

 Sensing surroundings (well-developed nervous

system)
 Eyes & bristles (sense organs)
 Compound eyes that detect light (identical light sensitive
units)
Kinds of Arthropods:
Classified by number of legs, eyes, and antennae
they have
Antennae is a feeler that senses touch, taste, or
smell

Kinds:
Centipedes & Millipedes

Crustaceans

Arachnids

Insects
Centipedes & Millipedes:
One pair of antennae

Hard head

One pair of mandibles (mouth parts)

Count legs in each segment

Centipedes: 30-354 legs
Millipedes: up to 752!
Crustaceans:
 Shrimps, barnacles, crabs, lobsters

 Most live in water

 Gills for breathing

 Mandibles for eating

 2 compound eyes

 2 pairs of antennae
Arachnids:
 Spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks

 2 main body parts: cephalothorax & abdomen

 4 pairs of legs

 No antennae

 Mouthparts called: chelicerae

 Simple eyes instead of compound eyes

Arachnids continued…
Spiders are more helpful than harmful

Ticks are parasites that live in forests and

grassy areas
Carry diseases: Lyme’s disease
Segments of body are joined as one small part
Insects:
Largest group of arthropods

3 main body parts

6 legs

2 antennae
The World of Insects:
Live on land, fresh water, and ocean surfaces

Many are helpful

Flowering plants depend on them for pollination

Some are pests that cause disease or destroy crops

Others pests are like mosquitoes and fleas

Insect Bodies:
 3 parts: Head, thorax, abdomen

 One pair of antennae

 One pair of compound eyes

 Mandibles

 Each segment has one pair of legs

 Some have wings

 Complete Metamorphosis:
 As an insect develops it changes form

 4 main stages:
Egg

Larva

Pupa

Adult
(*Butterflies, beetles, flies, wasps, and ants go
through these changes)

http://fairmanstudios.com/images/complete_metamorphosis.jpg
 Incomplete Metamorphosis:
Grasshoppers and cockroaches

Less complicated cycle

3 main stages:
Egg
Nymph
Adult

 Nymphs shed their exoskeleton (molting);

like an adult but no wings and very small

http://www.vtaide.com/png/images/grassho
pper.jpg
Quick Quiz:
The cephalothroax of a spider consists of a
head and a thorax (T/F)

The legs of most insects attach to the

abdomen (T/F)

Some types of insects live deep in ocean

waters (T/F)

The stages of complete metamorphosis are

egg, nymph, and adult (T/F)