Characteristic Features of Phylum Arthropoda
- Well-developed muscular system along with striated muscles attached to the exoskeleton, and visceral organs having smooth muscles.
- Segments take jointed appendages.
- Coelom present but extremely reduced and obliterated in the adult. The main body cavity is haemocoel, a characteristic space among organs and tissues, filled with blood.,
- Nonexistence of cilia.
- Exoskeleton contains a tough cuticle made up of chitin, protein and lipid, sometimes strengthened with calcium carbonate. The cuticle, secreted by the underlying epidermis, is shed periodically to allow growth of body.
- Circulatory system that is open type.
- Body bilaterally symmetrical and metamerically segmented; segments show a tendency to combine or fuse together to form functional units called tagmata, such as cephalothorax and abdomen, head and trunk, or head, thorax and abdomen.
- Mouth parts changed from appendages; well developed alimentary canal.
- Respiratory organs are generally tracheae, booklungs or gills.
- Sexes are separate; fertilization internal; development often involves metamorphosis.
- Nervous system is of the annelidan plan.
- Excretory organs Malpighian tubules, coxal glands, antennal glands or maxillary glands.