Phylum Arthropoda: The Jointed Feet

Animals in the Phylum Arthropoda are considered Arthropods. This name origonates from the Greek, arthron, “joint” and podos “foot”. The jointed-feet as it were, includes insects, arachnids, and crustaceans to name a few. They are characterized by their jointed limbs that are made from α-chitin.

Body Plan

The body plan of arthropods is composed of repeated segments. Each segment has a pair of appendages.

Diversity

Partly due to their body plan, arthropods are a very versitile group. They comprise more than 80% of all described species.  In fact there are over 1 million described so far, with new ones being discovered all the time.

Classification

Class Insecta

Most insects can be divided into the following major orders:

  • Blattodea: Cockroaches
  • Coleoptera: Beetles
  • Collembola: Springtails
  • Diptera: Flies
  • Embioptera: Webspinners
  • Ephemeroptera: Mayflies
  • Grylloblattodea: Ice Insect
  • Hemiptera: True Bugs
  • Homoptera: Cicadas
  • Hymenoptera: Bees, Ants…
  • Lepidoptera: Butterflies and Moths
  • Mallophaga: Chewing Louse
  • Mantodea: Preying Mantis
  • Mecoptera: Scorpion Fly
  • Megaloptera: Alderfly / Dobsonfly
  • Microcoryphia: Bristletails
  • Neuroptera: Lacewings / Antlions
  • Odonata: Dragonflies
  • Orthoptera: Grasshoppers
  • Phasmatodea: Walking Sticks
  • Phthiraptera: Louse wings
  • Piecoptera: Stoneflies
  • Psocoptera: Woodlice
  • Raphidoptera: Snakeflies
  • Siphonaptera: Fleas
  • Strepsiptera: small parasites
  • Thysanoptera: Thrips
  • Thysanura: Silverfish
  • Trichoptera: Caddisflies

Other Arthropod Classes

Arachnida – spiders, scorpions, etc.
Merostomata – horseshoe crabs,eurypterids
Pycnogonida – sea spiders
Chilopoda – centipedes
Diplopoda – millipedes
Pauropoda – sister group to millipedes
Symphyla – resemble centipedes
Branchiopoda – brine shrimp etc.
Remipedia – blind crustaceans
Cephalocarida – horseshoe shrimp
Maxillopoda – barnacles, copepods, fish lice, etc.
Ostracoda – seed shrimp
Malacostraca – lobsters, crabs, shrimp, etc.
Entognatha – springtails, etc.

Great Arthropod Articles

Learn about Entomology

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Species listed under Arthropoda