MYRIAPODS 767 Volume 2 (M-Z), Pp
In: R. Singer, (ed.), 1999. Encyclopedia of Paleontology, MYRIAPODS 767 volume 2 (M-Z), pp. 767-775. Fitzroy Dearborn, London. MYRIAPODS JVlyriapods are many-legged, terrestrial arthropods whose bodies groups, the Trilobita, Chelicerata, Crustacea, and the Uniramia, the are divided into two major parts, a head and a trunk. The head last consisting of the Myriapoda, Hexapoda, and Onychophora (vel- bears a single pair of antennae, highly differentiated mandibles (or vet worms). However, subsequent structural and molecular evidence jaws), and at least one pair of maxillary mouthparts; the trunk indicates that there are several characters uniting major arthropod region consists of similar "metameres," each of which is a func- taxa. Moreover, paleobiologic, embryologie, and other evidence tional segment that bears one or two pairs of appendages. Gas demonstrates that myriapods and hexapods are fiindamentally exchange is accomplished by tracheae•a branching network of polyramous, having two major articulating appendages per embry- specialized tubules•although small forms respire through the ological body segment, like other arthropods. body wall. Malpighian organs are used for excretion, and eyes con- A fourth proposal (Figure ID) suggests that myriapods are sist of clusters of simple, unintegrated, light-sensitive elements an ancient, basal arthropod lineage, and that the Hexapoda that are termed ommatidia. These major features collectively char- emerged as an independent, relatively recent clade from a rather acterize the five major myriapod clades: Diplopoda (millipeds), terminal crustacean lineage, perhaps the Malacostraca, which con- Chilopoda (centipeds), Pauropoda (pauropods), Symphyla (sym- tains lobsters and crabs (Ballard et al. 1992). Because few crusta- phylans), and Arthropleurida (arthropleurids). Other features cean taxa were examined in this analysis, and due to the Cambrian indicate differences among these clades.
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