What are some of the characteristics of the arthropods?

Arthropods, members of the phylum Arthropoda, are a diverse group of animals including insects, crustaceans, spiders, scorpions and centipedes. However, the members of this phylum, despite their incredible diversity and sheer numbers, share a number of important distinguishing characteristics. read more

Arthropods also have segmented legs, and in some of the more primitive arthropods, each segment of the body has a pair of legs. Arthropod legs are most often used for swimming or walking, but some arthropods have pairs of legs that have been modified. read more

The characteristics of arthropods include an exoskeleton, well-developed sense organs, jointed appendages, tagmata body regions, a ventral nervous system and bilateral symmetry. Scientists believe that the ancestors of the arthropods were similar to that of a centipede and over millions of years the various segments fused together and formed new parts. read more

Arthropods have all of these characteristics: The body is divided into segments. Paired and jointed appendages (legs, antennae, claws, and external. read more