Grasshopper Dissection Lab:
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Procedure:
Arthropod Ecology: Grasshoppers are an essential part of grassland ecosystems. They are abundant in wetlands, agricultural fields, and lawns. Grasshoppers like warm and dry weather, so that their populations may be larger, because warm weather enhances grasshopper development and survival. Grasshoppers help stimulate plant growth and play an important part in nutrient cycling because of the beneficial role they play in the ecosystems of plants and crops. They also are a major food source for wildlife. However, although they are helpful, grasshoppers and locusts have had breakouts in population and have affected many crops worldwide.
Groups of Arthropods and their Characteristics: There are four different types of Arthropods: insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans. Insects have a three part body: three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and one pair of antennae. Insects are one of the most diverse groups on the planet, with over a million species, and representing over half of all known living organisms. Insects have an exoskeleton, and they undergo three-stage metamorphosis. Insects move by walking, flying, or swimming. Many insects are beneficial to the environment and humans. Arachnids are a group of joint legged invertebrate animals that have eight legs, even though some of those legs have developed into sensory legs. Appendages on arachnids can grow large enough to appear as if they are legs. They comprise of over 100,000 species. Arachnids have two kinds of eyes, lateral and median ocelli. They are most abundant in moist forests Myriapoda contain animals such millipedes, centipedes, and over 13,000 more species.They are all terrestrial and have over 750 legs. They have one pair of antennae and simple eyes. Mandibles lie inside their mouth, which is on the bottom of the body. They breathe through spiracles. Crustaceans typically have two pairs of antennae, two or three body sections, and chewing mouthparts called mandibles. The antennae have many sensory hairs. Some of them even have swimmerets that help them to move. |