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Arthropods (/ ˈ ɑːr θ r ə p ɒ d / ARTH-rə-pod) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin , often mineralised with calcium carbonate , a body with differentiated ( metameric ) segments , and paired jointed appendages .
[1] [2] Antennae are sometimes modified for other purposes, such as mating, brooding, swimming, and even anchoring the arthropod to a substrate. [2] Larval arthropods have antennae that differ from those of the adult. Many crustaceans, for example, have free-swimming larvae that use their antennae for swimming.
Arthropod eyes Head of a wasp with three ocelli (center), and compound eyes at the left and right. Most arthropods have sophisticated visual systems that include one or more usually both of compound eyes and pigment-cup ocelli ("little eyes"). In most cases, ocelli are only capable of detecting the direction from which light is coming, using ...
The arthropod body plan consists of segments, each with a pair of appendages. Arthropods are bilaterally symmetrical and their body possesses an external skeleton. In order to keep growing, they must go through stages of moulting, a process by which they shed their exoskeleton to reveal a new one. Some species have wings.
The arthropod exoskeleton is divided into different functional units, each comprising a series of grouped segments; such a group is called a tagma, and the tagmata are adapted to different functions in a given arthropod body. For example, tagmata of insects include the head, which is a fused capsule, the thorax as nearly a fixed capsule, and ...
[1] [2] Microfauna are represented in the animal kingdom (e.g. nematodes, small arthropods) and the protist kingdom (i.e. protozoans). A large amount of microfauna are soil microfauna which includes protists, rotifers, and nematodes. These types of animal-like protists are heterotrophic, largely feeding on bacteria.
As they grow they add concentric layers. They are arranged so as to overlap in a head-to-tail direction, like roof tiles, allowing a smoother flow of water over the body and therefore reducing drag. [3] They come in two forms: Cycloid scales have a smooth outer edge, and are most common on fish with soft fin rays, such as salmon and carp.
Growing and sustaining a buoyancy organ, adjusting the composition of biological makeup, and exerting physical strain to stay in motion demands large amounts of energy. It is proposed that lift may be physically generated at a lower energy cost by swimming upward and gliding downward, in a "climb and glide" motion, rather than constant swimming ...