The skeletal systems of 3 species in the phylum Arthropoda will be compared:
Centruroides sculpturalus, Paralithodes camtschaticus, Vanessa kershawi (top to bottom)
Centruroides sculpturalus, Paralithodes camtschaticus, Vanessa kershawi (top to bottom)
Alas, the monotony of coelomata has ended. Behold the phylum Arthropoda, a highly diverse taxa home to crustaceans and insects. The skeletal systems of Centruroides sculpturalus (the Emperor Scorpion) and Paralithodes camtschaticus (the Alaskan King Crab) stand out as drastically more similar to one another than they are to Vanessa kershawi (Painted Lady Butterfly). The first two species mentioned have a highly similar skeletal system. They both have a central carapace (akin to a Cnidarian's bell-head) from which their extremities extent. The crab and the scorpion have opposable extremities, segmenting at joints which can bend beyond 90 degrees. Likewise, the vital predatory mechanism of the Emperor Scorpion, the claws, parallel the Alaskan King Crab who also relies on his reticulating claws. Hence, despite highly different environments, Centruroides sculpturalus and Paralithodes camtschaticus are highly similar in their jointed-extremities and claws. Vanessa kershawi has, as visible, fewer common characteristics. Nonetheless, examining the butterfly's legs shows that they're segmented, junctioning at joints. Likewise, Vanessa kershawi's essential wings are controlled via joints at the shoulders comparing to the other two species' control of their claws.