arthropods
Exoskeleton-bearing invertebrates
Arthropods are invertebrate animals with segmented bodies, jointed legs, and external skeletons—insects, spiders, crustaceans, centipedes, and their relatives.
The group comprises the vast majority of animal species on Earth.
The garden teemed with arthropods: beetles, ants, spiders, and pill bugs.
Arthropod shell polymer
- carapaceProtective dorsal exoskeleton
- cuticleDead skin at nail base
- shellHard outer covering
- armorProtective combat covering
hardened · rigid · molting · protection · calcification · plates · segments · jointed
Divided into sections
- jointed legsLimbs with flexible segments
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- mandiblesPaired arthropod mouthparts
- compound eyesMulti-lensed visual organs
appendages · cephalothorax · abdomen · thorax · spiracles · ganglia · book lungs · gills
Six-legged arthropods
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
- arachnidsEight-legged invertebrates
- species-richHaving many organism types
- biodiversityRange of life forms
beetles · flies · ants · bees · wasps · butterflies · moths · crabs
Major classification rank
- ArthropodaJointed-limbed invertebrate phylum
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
- hexapodsSix-limbed arthropod class
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
subphylum · class · order · family · genus · species · phylogeny · invertebrates
Losing outer covering
- instarArthropod developmental stage
- growthIncrease in size
- cuticleDead skin at nail base
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
nymph · larva · pupa · regeneration · soft-bodied · hardening · vulnerable · cycles
chitin
Arthropod shell polymer
armor · hardened · rigid · molting · protection · calcification · plates · segments · jointed · dorsal
segmented
Divided into sections
- jointed legsLimbs with flexible segments
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- mandiblesPaired arthropod mouthparts
compound eyes · appendages · cephalothorax · abdomen · thorax · spiracles · ganglia · book lungs · gills · ovipositor
insects
Six-legged arthropods
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
- arachnidsEight-legged invertebrates
- species-richHaving many organism types
biodiversity · beetles · flies · ants · bees · wasps · butterflies · moths · crabs · lobsters
phylum
Major classification rank
- ArthropodaJointed-limbed invertebrate phylum
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
- hexapodsSix-limbed arthropod class
crustaceans · subphylum · class · order · family · genus · species · phylogeny · invertebrates · entomology
shedding
Losing outer covering
metamorphosis · nymph · larva · pupa · regeneration · soft-bodied · hardening · vulnerable · cycles · stages
- life formsorganisms, organism, lifeforms, animal, creatures
- living thingsplants, animals, animal, creature, birds
- organismsplants, animals, human, dog, fungi
- arthropodsArthropoda, insects, insect, spiders, spider
- invertebratesinvertebrate, mollusk, crustacean, arachnids, mollusks
- Cladesmammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects
arthropodsmollusks
Soft-bodied invertebrates, often shelled
jellyfish · worms · annelids · slugs · sea anemones
arthropodschordates
Animals with dorsal nerve cords
vertebrates · mollusks · echinoderms · sea urchins · starfish