SLE204 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Crustacean, Intraspecific Competition, Myriapoda

• School: Deakin University
• Department: Science, Engineering and Built Environment
• Course: SLE204
• Professor: Anneke Veenstra

Document Summary

Arthropods found in all types of environments; very widespread. Cuticle contains chitin + protein + lipid + calcium carbonate very tough, flexible, lightweight. Support, protection from physical damage, dehydration and defecation. However, size of animal is limited by exoskeleton; must shed it (moult) to grow. Site for muscle attachment: bilateral symmetry body divided into tagmata (functional regions) e. g. head, abdomen, trunk, cephalothorax, segmentation and jointed appendages: Each segment contains a pair of jointed appendages. Appendages modified for specific functions -> allow for efficient locomotion. Appendages have sensory hairs for sensory functions, food handling, walking and swimming. Uniramous a single series of segments attached end-to-end (subphyla chelicerata, Spiders: book lungs: malpighian tubules for excretion, highly developed sensory organs touch, smell, hearing, balance, chemical reception, separate sexes; internal fertilization, metamorphosis in insects. Arthropods are so abundant and diverse because of: exoskeleton, segmentation and jointed appendages, air channelled directly to cells, highly developed sense organs, complex behaviour patterns, metamorphosis, subphylum chelicerata: class merostomata.