Arthropods (chapter 13)

What is one key feature of arthropods that contributes to their ecological success?​

●​ Versatile exoskeleton

What is the primary function of the arthropod exoskeleton?​

●​ To protect the body and prevent desiccation

According to the mandibulate hypothesis, what distinguishes mandibulates from other

arthropods?​

●​ The presence of mandibles used for chewing

What is the habitat of trilobites, and when were they most abundant?​

●​ Marine habitats, most abundant during the Cambrian period

What are the three main classes of chelicerates?​

●​ Arachnida, Merostomata, and Pycnogonida

How do horseshoe crabs differ from sea spiders and arachnids?​

●​ Horseshoe crabs have a cephalothorax and abdomen, while sea spiders have long,
slender legs and arachnids have distinct body regions of cephalothorax and abdomen.

What is a key difference between centipedes and millipedes?​

●​ Centipedes are carnivorous with one pair of legs per segment, while millipedes are
herbivorous with two pairs of legs per segment.

How do crustaceans feed?​

●​ Through a combination of mandibles and maxillae, depending on species

What is a distinguishing feature of hexapods?​

●​ Three pairs of legs and usually two pairs of wings

How do insects respire?​

●​ Through a tracheal system with spiracles

What type of metamorphosis do insects with indirect development undergo?​

●​ Complete metamorphosis, involving distinct larval and adult stages

How do insects communicate?​

●​ Through chemical signals (pheromones), visual signals, and sound

What is the primary benefit of insects to human life?​

●​ Pollination of crops

Which arthropod body plan feature is critical for their diversity?​

●​ Segmented body with specialized appendages for various functions

What is the hypothetical ancestral arthropod body plan characterized by?​

●​ A series of similar, undifferentiated segments

Why are biramous and uniramous appendages not useful for phylogenetic inference?​

●​ They evolved independently in different arthropod lineages.

●​ What are the two main body regions (tagmata) of spiders?​

○​ Cephalothorax and abdomen

●​ What is the function of a spider's chelicerae?​

○​ To function as fangs and inject venom to immobilize prey

●​ How do spiders feed on their prey?​
 ○​ They inject venom into the prey, liquefy the tissues with digestive fluids, and then
suck up the resulting liquid.
●​ What is unique about spider respiration?​

○​ Spiders breathe through book lungs or tracheae, or both.

●​ How do book lungs work in spiders?​

○​ Book lungs consist of many parallel air pockets that extend into a blood-filled
chamber, allowing gas exchange.
●​ What is the role of tracheae in spider respiration?​

○​ Tracheae are air tubes that carry air directly to tissues from openings called
spiracles.
●​ What is the excretory system in spiders?​

○​ Spiders have Malpighian tubules, which work with specialized rectal glands to
conserve water and potassium, producing a nearly dry mixture of waste.
●​ What are coxal glands in spiders?​

○​ Modified nephridia located at the base of the first and third walking legs, which
assist in excretion.
●​ How many eyes do spiders typically have?​

○​ Eight simple eyes

●​ What is the function of the sensory setae on a spider's body?​

○​ To sense vibrations, air currents, and changes in tension in the web, helping
spiders detect prey or environmental changes.
●​ What is the significance of a spider's ability to spin silk?​

○​ Silk is used for various purposes, including web construction, prey capture, and
reproduction.
●​ What are spinnerets in spiders?​

○​ Organs containing microscopic tubes that produce silk.

●​ What is a key characteristic of spider silk?​

○​ It is a protein fiber with great tensile strength.

4o mini

1. What is the primary use of spider silk?

Answer: To trap prey

2. How does spider silk compare to steel in strength?

Answer: It is stronger than steel of the same diameter

3. What is the main difference between spider silk and silkworm silk?

Answer: Spider silk is not homologous to silkworm silk

4. Which of the following spiders uses silk to wrap its prey securely?

Answer: Netcasting spider

5. What do black widow spiders look like?

Answer: Black with an orange or red "hourglass" on the underside of their abdomen

6. What does the venom of the brown recluse spider do?

Answer: Destroys tissues and skin

7. Which spider genus is responsible for most fatal bites in the U.S.?

Answer: Latrodectus

8. How do solifugids (sun spiders) capture their prey?

Answer: With their large chelicerae

9. What is the main characteristic of a harvestman (daddy longlegs)?

Answer: Their abdomen and cephalothorax are joined without a constriction

10. Which arachnid is a vector for Lyme disease?

Answer: Western black-legged tick

4o mini

1.​ What is the typical number of segments in modern crustaceans?​

○​ Answer: 16 to 20
2.​ What is the covering that extends around the sides of the crustacean's head and
thoracic segments called?​

○​ Answer: Carapace
 3.​ Which of the following is a characteristic feature of crustaceans compared to
other arthropods?​

○​ Answer: Two pairs of antennae

4.​ In crustaceans, which part of the appendage is considered the basal segment that
attaches to the body?​

○​ Answer: Protopod
5.​ Which appendages are modified in male crayfish for copulation?​

○​ Answer: Swimmerets
6.​ What is the process by which crustaceans shed their old cuticle to grow larger?​

○​ Answer: Ecdysis
7.​ Which specialized structure in male malacostracans stimulates the development
of male sexual characteristics?​

○​ Answer: Androgenic glands

8.​ What function do the uropods serve in crustaceans like crayfish?​

○​ Answer: Locomotion for backward movements

9.​ What do the swimmerets in female crayfish serve for?​

○​ Answer: Carrying eggs and young

10.​Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic of crustacean appendages?​

○​ Answer: Uniramous condition in all appendages

. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Branchiopoda?

Answer: Presence of abdomen with legs

2. What is the defining feature of the order Notostraca within

Branchiopoda?

Answer: Carapace forms a large dorsal shield

3. In the order Copepoda, what is the primary role of the thoracic swimming
appendages?

Answer: Locomotion

4. What is the primary habitat for most planktonic copepods?

Answer: Marine and freshwater food webs

5. What is the unique characteristic of Thecostraca (formerly Cirripedia)?

Answer: They have a carapace made of calcareous plates

6. What is the common effect of barnacle attachment on ships?

Answer: Causes ship speed reduction of 30%–40%

7. Which of the following is a member of the order Isopoda?

Answer: Sow bugs and pill bugs

8. What type of crustacean is commonly known as "krill"?

Answer: Euphausiacea

9. What is the key adaptation of insects that allows them to survive in

various terrestrial environments?

Answer: Thick exoskeleton for protection

10. What is the main role of wings in insects?

Answer: Flight and locomotion

These are the MCQs with their respective answers. Let me know if you'd like any adjustments!

4o mini

1.​ What is the primary function of synchronous muscles in larger insects like
dragonflies and butterflies?​

○​ Synchronous muscles generate a single wing stroke per nerve impulse.

2.​ How do asynchronous muscles in insects such as flies and bees differ from
synchronous muscles?​

○​ Asynchronous muscles allow for extremely rapid wing beats and rely on the
storage of potential energy in resilient parts of the thoracic cuticle.
3.​ Which of the following is true about the flight muscles of insects with
asynchronous muscle systems?​

○​ A single nerve impulse stimulates only occasional muscle contractions, which

then allow rapid wing beats.
 4.​ What is the purpose of the figure-eight movement of insect wings during flight?​

○​ The figure-eight movement helps in spilling air from the trailing edges of the
wings, contributing to efficient flight.
5.​ Which of the following statements about insect flight is true?​

○​ Insects with narrow, fast-moving wings and a strong figure-eight wing path
typically achieve the highest flight speeds.
6.​ What type of diet do phytophagous insects primarily have?​

○​ Phytophagous insects feed mainly on plant juices and tissues.

7.​ Which type of mouthparts do insects like grasshoppers use for feeding?​

○​ Grasshoppers use biting and chewing mouthparts to seize and crush food.
8.​ What is a unique feature of the respiratory system in insects?​

○​ Insects have a tracheal system that provides direct oxygen transport to cells
without the use of hemolymph to carry oxygen.
9.​ How does the tracheal system in insects help in gas exchange?​

○​ The tracheal system consists of tubes that carry air directly to cells, and gas
exchange occurs by diffusion along a concentration gradient.
10.​What adaptation do some aquatic insects have for gas exchange?​

●​ Some aquatic insects, like stonefly nymphs, use tracheal gills for gas exchange, which
are extensions of the body wall containing a rich tracheal supply.

1. Which insect is commonly used in biological control to manage pest

populations?

Answer: Lepidopteran pests

2. Which bacterium is used in biological control methods to fight insect

pests, particularly in lepidopteran species?

Answer: Bacillus thuringiensis

3. Which genetically modified crop has been designed to produce a protein

toxic to specific insect pests?
Answer: Corn

4. Which bacterium is used in mosquito control programs to reduce the

spread of disease?

Answer: Wolbachia

5. Which of the following is a key characteristic of insects in the order

Thysanura?

Answer: Long antennae and three long terminal cerci

6. Which insect order includes mayflies?

Answer: Ephemeroptera

7. Which insect is recognized for having raptorial front legs for capturing
prey?

Answer: Praying mantis

8. What is the main characteristic of insects in the order Coleoptera?

Answer: Hard, opaque forewings and membranous hindwings

9. Which insect order is commonly referred to as beetles?

Answer: Coleoptera

10. Which insect order features true bugs with a mouthpart adapted for
piercing and sucking?
Answer: Hemiptera