PPT Slide

Specialized Arthropod Segments: Reduction in Metamerism

• The evolution of the arthropods witnessed a reduction in metamerism

• The arthropods evolved modified groups of segments (e.g., segments became lost, some fused together

• The fusion of groups of segments into functional groups is called tagmatization

• In so doing, various appendages on segments became specialized for functions other than locomotion, e.g. prey capture, filter feeding, sensing various kinds of stimuli, gas exchange, copulation, etc.

Previous slide

Next slide

Back to first slide

View graphic version