Question

Class Merostomata and Class Arachnida inhabit very different environments, identify the main challenges faced by each organism in these different environments and identify three ways each has adapted for its habitat.

Answer 1

Class Merostomata and class Arachnida belong to the same sub phylum Chelicerata and phyllum Arthropoda.

Horseshoe crabs of Class merostomata are un changed and survived of earth's extinctions.

They breathe through book gills.

Able to feed on almost any organic matter.

They have blood which is blue. It coagulates when it encounters bacteria. They can wall up any wounds they receive.

Their tolerance to survive in salinity.

Their ability to live with low levels of oxygen.

Class archanids are some of the first arthropods to move to land.

They breathe with book lungs.

Spiders, scorpions, ticks and mites belong to this class.

The most important adaptation of spiders is the ability to spin silk and weave webs to catch prey is the most effective hunting mechanism.

Each spider family has developed their own self defense mechanism.

Theraphosidae fire it's fur . Nephila antipodiana uses dangerous chemical deterrents. Atrax robustus shed their limbs to escape attack.

Sexual cannibalism is another adaptation for their survival.

Females kills and eats males after copulation.

Scorpions can live and survive in harshest environments and burrow down into sand , hide under rocks etc ., which is also an adaptation to keep away from predators.

Exoskeleton on their body provides protection and the long tail that curves over its back has a venomous stinger on it which uses to defend themselves.

As scorpions live in harsh environments they adapted to have food in such a way that they eat as much as they can at a single time and can survive without food for up to a year.