Name: Classification of Animals
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 5 min 49 s
Description: Adaptations have led to complexities in organisms leading to similarities and dissimilarities. This becomes the basis of classification. Learn it here!

Question

Why Arthropods have been given this name? Name the four classes of phylum Arthropods giving one example each of the four classes.

Accepted Answer

The literal meaning of the word "Arthropoda" is "jointed legs". In Greek, "arthos" means "joint" and "podos" means "legs". Thus, the name Arthropoda aptly describes all the organisms placed under this phylum, as all of them possess jointed appendages or legs attached to their bodies. Arthropods can thus be defined as invertebrates with jointed legs. They have segmented bodies, which are generally divided into three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen.

The four classes of the phylum Arthropoda with their respective examples are as follows:

1. Arachnids: The head and thorax are fused in the animals that belong to this class. They have four pairs of legs, a hard chitinous exoskeleton, and antennae on their heads.

Examples: spiders and scorpions.

2. Crustaceans: These animals also have a fused head and a thorax with antennae present for detection. The appendages are attached to all the segments of the body. The number of pairs of jointed legs may vary according to the species.

Examples: crabs, shrimp, and lobsters.

3. Myriapods: The animals in this category have a body that is divided into many segments. Each segment may have one or two pairs of jointed appendages. The number of appendages or legs may vary from 20 to 200.

Millipede and centipede are two examples.

4. Insects: The body of these organisms is divided into three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. They have three pairs of thoracic appendages. They have a pair of antennae at the anterior end and may or may not have pairs of wings attached to the thorax.

Examples: ants and butterflies.

Why Arthropods have been given this name? Name the four classes of phylum Arthropods giving one example each of the four classes.

Important Questions on Classification of Animals

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