arthropods
Arthropods belong to a phylum of cold-blooded, invertebrate animals. This phylum is known for, among other things, an external skeleton, a segmented body (meaning the body consists of multiple interconnected parts), and multi-part jointed legs. Groups such as insects, spiders, scorpions, myriapods, and crustaceans fall under this phylum. With 80% of all known species, the arthropod phylum actually forms the largest group in the animal kingdom. This group of animals occurs in all habitats and conditions on Earth, thereby forming a diverse and varied phylum. Arthropods can be distinguished by their jointed limbs (hence the name of this phylum) and their hard, reinforced skeleton. Read more…
arthropods
The body of the arthropods consists of different segments that can fuse with each other during the growth of the animal. In order to continue the growth of the arthropods, they lose their exoskeleton once in a while, this is also called molting. Arthropods are generally small and come in unusual colors and species making them a spectacular group to watch, most insect species that fall under the arthropod category are equipped with wings. Almost all arthropods have an open circulatory system, in which Hemolymph (a fluid similar to blood) supplies the body tissues with the necessary nutrients. Arthropods are equipped with various gas exchange organs that are highly adapted to the animal's living environment, such as: gills, trachea (mainly in insects) and book lungs (in spiders and scorpions, for example). Thanks to this circulation system, oxygen can be pumped through the body. The largest species occur in waters and seas, such as a large lobster.
