Panarthropoda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Panarthropoda |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Superphylum: | Ecdysozoa |
| (unranked): | Panarthropoda Nielsen, 1995 |
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The Panarthropoda are a special group of animals. They include some of the most common creatures on Earth, like insects and spiders. This group also has tiny, tough animals called tardigrades and unique velvet worms. Most animals in this group have claws, legs, and bodies made of many segments. They also share a special way of growing by shedding their outer skin.
Contents
What are Panarthropods?
Panarthropods are a large group of animals that are related to each other. They are part of an even bigger group called Ecdysozoa. The name "Ecdysozoa" comes from "ecdysis," which means molting or shedding. All these animals grow by shedding their tough outer layer. This outer layer is like a hard shell or skin.
Key Features of Panarthropods
These animals share several important features. Their bodies are divided into segments, like a train with many cars. They usually have pairs of legs on these segments. Many also have claws at the end of their legs. Another cool feature is their nervous system. It often includes a brain and a nerve cord that runs along their belly.
Who Belongs to This Group?
The Panarthropoda group includes three main types of animals. These are the Arthropods, Tardigrades, and Velvet Worms. There are also some ancient, extinct groups that are part of Panarthropoda.
Arthropods: The Biggest Group
Arthropods are the largest group of animals on Earth. They include insects, spiders, crabs, and centipedes. They have an exoskeleton, which is a hard outer skeleton. This exoskeleton helps protect them and gives their bodies shape. Arthropods also have jointed legs, which helps them move in many ways. You can find arthropods almost everywhere, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains.
Tardigrades: Tiny Water Bears
Tardigrades are also known as "water bears" or "moss piglets." They are incredibly tiny, usually less than a millimeter long. These amazing creatures are famous for their toughness. They can survive extreme conditions, like freezing cold, boiling heat, and even the vacuum of space! Tardigrades have eight legs with claws. They live in water, moss, and lichen.
Velvet Worms: Living Fossils
Velvet worms, or Onychophora, are less known but very interesting. They look a bit like caterpillars with many stubby legs. Their skin feels soft and velvety. Velvet worms are predators that squirt a sticky slime to catch their prey. They live in humid, tropical forests. Scientists call them "living fossils" because they have changed very little over millions of years. This means they look very similar to their ancient ancestors.
Where Did Panarthropods Come From?
The first Panarthropods appeared a very long time ago. Their fossils date back to the Cambrian Period. This was about 540 million years ago. During this time, there was a huge burst of new life forms on Earth. Some of the earliest Panarthropods were strange-looking creatures. They had soft bodies and many pairs of legs. These ancient animals help us understand how modern arthropods, tardigrades, and velvet worms evolved.
Images for kids
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Anatomy of an onychophoran anterior region, showing specialized appendages (ant, md) and deutocerebrum (D).
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Nervous system of a tardigrade, showing ventral nerve cord with segmented ganglia (ga1-4).
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Nervous system of a remipede arthropod, showing the presence of both deutocerebrum (dc) and ventral nerve cord (vnc) organized by segmented ganglia.
See also
In Spanish: Panarthropoda para niños
