Do Spiders Belong to Chelicerata?
WouterChelicerata is a group of arthropods. It contains many groups, including spiders, scorpions, mites, eurypterids, and horseshoe crabs. These animals are predators and feed on prey. They have six pairs of appendages.
The mouth of Chelicerata is located between the second and third segments. In addition, it has two tagmata. These tags are used for capturing prey. Antennae are found in the first segment of the chelicerate. Several chelicerates are predatory, while others are detritivores. Despite their docile appearance, these arthropods have a powerful bite.
The chelicerate is a group of arthropods that is ecologically important in terrestrial systems. They include terrestrial and marine Arachnida, as well as detritivores and scavengers. Their exoskeleton provides structural support and protects them from desiccation. Many chelicerates live in water and have no solid food. Nonetheless, their exoskeleton is molted periodically.
Chelicerata is an ancient lineage, dating back to the Devonian era. Fossils of these organisms have been discovered in Silurian and Devonian sandstone. This subphylum is one of the five major subdivisions of Arthropoda. There are several species of chelicerates that are currently known, including harvestmen, sea spiders, and kingcrabs. Most marine chelicerates are now extinct, but some are still in existence.
Chelicerata is divided into two main regions: the anterior part, called the prosoma, and the posterior part, called the opisthosoma. In the anterior part, there are six post-ocular segments with paired appendages. Among the extant chelicerates, horseshoe crabs are the most well-known.
