Chelicerata
Chelicerata
Chelicerata (/kɛlɪˈsɛrətə/; from Greek, chēlē, "claw, chela" and keras, "horn") is a subphylum of the phylum Arthropoda, which includes creatures such as spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. This group is primarily defined by the presence of "chelicerae", which are appendages just in front of the mouth that are often modified into fangs or pincers.
Etymology
The term "Chelicerata" is derived from the Greek words chēlē, meaning "claw" or "chela", and keras, meaning "horn". This refers to the chelicerae, the first pair of appendages that are characteristic of this group of animals.
Anatomy
Chelicerates are distinguished by their unique anatomy. They have two body segments (tagmata): the anterior cephalothorax (or prosoma) and the posterior abdomen (or opisthosoma). The chelicerae, from which the group gets its name, are the first pair of appendages. They also have a pair of pedipalps and four pairs of walking legs.
Classification
Chelicerata is divided into five classes: Arachnida, Merostomata, Pycnogonida, Eurypterida, and Chasmataspidida. The most well-known of these are the Arachnida, which includes spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks.
Related Terms
- Arthropoda: The phylum to which Chelicerata belongs.
- Chelicerae: The first pair of appendages in Chelicerates, often modified into fangs or pincers.
- Arachnida: The class within Chelicerata that includes spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks.
- Merostomata: A class within Chelicerata that includes horseshoe crabs and the extinct eurypterids.
- Pycnogonida: A class within Chelicerata that includes the sea spiders.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Chelicerata
- Wikipedia's article - Chelicerata
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