What is the function of the arthropod exoskeleton? a....

Name: Problem 3, Chapter 34: Biological Science
Uploaded: 2020-06-18T16:20:49-08:00
Duration: 3 min 58 s
Channel: Susan Pullium
Description: What is the function of the arthropod exoskeleton? a. Because hard parts fossilize more readily than do soft tissues, the presence of an exoskeleton has given arthropods a good fossil record b. It has no well-established function. (Trilobites had an exoskeleton, and they went extinct.) c. It provides protection and functions in locomotion. d. It makes growth by molting possible.

What is the function of the arthropod exoskeleton? a. Because hard parts fossilize more readily than do soft tissues, the presence of an exoskeleton has given arthropods a good fossil record b. It has no well-established function. (Trilobites had an exoskeleton, and they went extinct.) c. It provides protection and functions in locomotion. d. It makes growth by molting possible.

What is the function of the arthropod exoskeleton?
a. Because hard parts fossilize more readily than do soft tissues, the presence of an exoskeleton has given arthropods a good fossil record
b. It has no well-established function. (Trilobites had an exoskeleton, and they went extinct.)
c. It provides protection and functions in locomotion.
d. It makes growth by molting possible.

Key Concepts

Arthropod Exoskeleton

The arthropod exoskeleton is a rigid external covering that encapsulates the body of an arthropod. It is composed primarily of chitin and, in many cases, is further strengthened by minerals, providing a sturdy support structure for the organism.

Protection

One major function of the exoskeleton is to protect the arthropod’s internal organs and tissues from physical damage, predation, and environmental hazards. This defensive barrier is essential for the survival of the organism in a variety of environments.

Locomotion

The exoskeleton serves as an anchoring point for muscles, allowing for efficient and coordinated movements. The attachment of muscles to this rigid structure enables arthropods to achieve effective locomotion and perform complex behaviors.

Molting and Growth

Because the exoskeleton is a non-expandable structure, arthropods must periodically shed and replace it through a process known as molting. This process, or ecdysis, is critical for the organism’s growth and regeneration as it transitions to larger exoskeletons over its lifecycle.

Fossil Record Preservation

The durability and hard nature of the exoskeleton allow it to withstand the processes of decay and fossilization more readily than soft tissues. This characteristic has resulted in a rich fossil record for arthropods, offering valuable insights into their evolution and diversity over geological timescales.

Transcript

00:04 In this example, we are asked to think about the function of the arthropod skeleton.

00:11 Here we see an example of a cicada or a cycad.

00:18 Exoskeleton actually fully removed.

00:20 The organism has molded out of this particular skeleton and is no longer inside of it.

00:25 So this is a shell or a casing for the cycad.

00:29 When we look at this and we're presented with andro choices that have something to do with ease for us as humans.

00:34 For example, we cannot presume that the function of the skeleton or the exoskeleton is to support us in our study of organisms, you know, to create a great fossil record or anything like that.

00:45 That would not be the biological function of any kind of structure on an organism.

00:50 We also cannot make the false assumption that because the structure exists, that it somehow confers some assurance that the species will survive.

00:59 So by a way of example, there are organisms and species that have had exoskeleton.

01:04 In the past that according to the fossil record existed in the past that no longer persist today in our current biological space.

01:12 We cannot believe that just because a couple of organisms, you know, went extinct having this particular feature, that the feature has no function whatsoever because clearly it persists today in organisms that are surviving.

01:26 So any answer choices that make those types of assumptions can immediately be rejected...

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