INTRODUCTORY ZOOLOGY I

ZOO 1O1
Pyhlum Arthropoda I – Crustacea (Aquatic Mandibulates)
 Phylum Arthropoda
Arthropoda is formed from Greek words arthron meaning joint and podos
meaning foot
Arthropods probably evolved from annelids, and with their jointed
appendages and an exoskeleton. They have successfully invaded
practically every habitat on earth.
Arthropods are the most diverse of all the animal phyla, with more
species than all other animal phyla combined, most of them insects.
There are over one million described species.

The major Subphyla of living arthropods are;

Crustacea (crabs, lobsters, shrimps, barnacles, woodlice, etc.)
Myriapoda (millipedes, centipedes, etc.)
Trilobitomorpha (all fossil forms with body divided into three lobes).
Cheliceriformes (spiders, scorpions, mites, sea sppiders)
Hexapoda: Made up of Class Entognatha and Insecta.
 Phylum Arthropoda
Distinguishing Features:
• Segmented body.
• Paired segmented appendages.
• Bilateral symmetry.
• Chitinous exoskeleton.
• Tubular alimentary canal with mouth and anus.
• Open circulatory system, a tubular dorsal blood
vessel.
• Body cavity or coelom.
• Nervous system of anterior ganglia and paired
nerve cords.
• Striated muscles in skeletal system.
• Respiration by gills, tracheae, or spiracle.
FEATURES OF THE SUBPHYLA
SUBPHYLA MAIN BODY REGIONS PAIRS OF LEGS PAIRS OF ANTENNAE WINGS
CRUSTACEA two – cephalothorax and five or more two absent
abdomen (some with head
and trunk)
MYRIAPODA many - one or two one absent
two - head and trunk per trunk segment

ARACHNIDA two - cephalothorax and four none (though palps may absent
abdomen resemble antennae or legs)

INSECTA three - head, thorax and three one usually present

abdomen (but many
wingless forms)
Arthropod’s body is usually covered in jointed exoskeleton
called cuticle which is secreted by a single-layered epidermis.
It has a thin impermeable outer epicuticle layer and a
relatively thick, tough but permeable inner procuticle layer .

Cuticle and Epidermis of a typical Arthropod

Arthropods are similar to annelids in:
• Body metamerism
• Embryonic development
• Architecture of the nervous system
Arthropods differ from annelids in:
• Having rigid exoskeleton with chitin
• Absence of cilia
• General lack of intersegmental septa
• Reduction of true coelom
• Separation of the sexes
• Concentration of excretory organs and gonads
• Possession of compound eyes
 Subphylum Crustacea
• Two main body regions.
• Two pairs of antennae.
• Simple eyes.

Crayfish
 Subphylum Crustacea
• Formed from the Latin word crusta meaning hard shell.
• They are defined as mandibulate aquatic arthropods.
• There are up to sixty body segments in lower Crustacea while higher
crustacea have a total of twenty body segments. The 2nd and 3rd
segments bears antenna (two pairs) which is a unique feature of
Crustacea among other arthropods.
• Body is divided into two distinct regions; cephalothorax (which is a
fusion of the head (cephalon) and thorax) and abdomen.
• Possesses 1 pair of mandibles and 2 pairs maxillae.
• The appendages are biramous.
• Possess cephalic shield or carapace which may grow beyond the
head to form rostrum.
 Subphylum Crustacea – Adaptations
• Feeding mechanism vary from microphagous to trapping of
particles by fine setae on some appendages as well as predatory
feeding in some larger crustaceans such as isopods, decapods
and amphipods.
• Gaseous exchange is achieved with the use of gills which are
usually associated with the thoracic or abdominal appendages.
• The vascular system is an open system in which there are no
blood vessels, hence the blood is not separated from the
interstitial fluid. The system has a muscular heart which is
enclosed in a pericardium membrane.
• The main excretory organ of adults crustaceans are paired
tubular structures in the ventral part of the head. The organ is
made up of an end sac which consists of small vesicles, saccule
and a spongy mass, labyrinth.
Subphylum Crustacea – Classes
• The subphylum is divided into five classes
- Remipedia
- Cephalocarida
- Branchiopoda
- Maxillopoda
- Malacostraca
 Class Remipedia
• Formed from Latin word remipedes meaning oar-footed.
• A very small class in terms of diversity, made up of about
twelve species described so far.
• Body divided into two regions head and trunk (thorax
and abdomen). The trunk is made up of 25-38 segments
each bearing paired, biramous, paddle-like appendages.
• Carapace is absent but the head is covered with a
cephalic shield.
• There is only one living order – Nectiopoda
• Examples are Speleonectes and Lasionectes
 Class Cephalocarida
• Formed from Greek words kephale meaning head and karis
meaning shrimp
• Inhabiting marine waters.
• Tiny, elongate crustaceans about 2-4 mm in length.
• Detritus feeders
• Body divided into head and trunk (eight thoracic segments and
eleven abdominal segments).
• They are true hermaphrodites discharging both eggs and sperm
through a common duct which opens on the 9th segment.
• Example: Hatchinsoniella
 Class Branchiopoda
• Formed from Greek words branchie meaning gills and podos meaning
foot.
• Among the most primitive crustaceans.
• Possess Phyllopodia – flattened and leaflike appendages which are the
main respiratory organs and also used in suspension feeding and for
locomotion.
• Presence of cephalic, shield-like carapace and sessile compound eyes.
• Mostly found in freshwater and often short-lived.
• Divided into three Orders;
- Anostraca commonly called fairy shrimps.
- Notostraca
- Diplostaca
Class Maxillopoda
• Possess 5 cephalic, 6 thoracic and 4 abdominal segments.
Thorax segments are fused with the head in some groups.
• Presence of carapace as well as simple and compound
eyes with unique structure known as maxillopodan eyes.
• Divided into seven subclasses;
-Thecostraca (barnacles)
- Tantulocarida (deep water marine parasites)
- Branchiura (fish lice)
- Pentastomida (toungueworms)
- Mystacocarida (mystacocarids)
- Copepoda (copepods)
- Ostracoda (ostracods)
 Class Malacostraca
• Largest class of crustaceans including lobsters, crabs, shrimps,
beach hoppers etc.
• Body consists of 20 segments; 6 head segments, 8 thoracic
segment (about 3 of these may become associated with the
head) and 6 abdominal segments except the order
Leptostraca which has 7 abdominal segments.
• Possess 19 pairs of appendages; 5 pairs in the head region, 8
pairs in the thorax and 6 pairs in the abdomen.
• Paired, sessile and stalked compound eyes.
• Antennary and maxillary glands as excretory organs.
• Divided into two subclasses;
- Phyllocarida
- Eumalacostraca