Virginia Commercial Pesticide Applicators CORE Exam

What are arthropods?

1. Animals with no limbs

2. Animals with segmented bodies and jointed appendages

3. Animals that are larger than vertebrates

4. Animals that live only in water

The correct answer is: Animals with segmented bodies and jointed appendages

Arthropods are defined as invertebrate animals that possess a segmented body and jointed appendages. This classification includes various species such as insects, arachnids (like spiders), and crustaceans (such as crabs and lobsters). The characteristic features of arthropods, such as their exoskeleton made of chitin, segmented bodies, and jointed limbs, distinguish them from other animal groups. These traits contribute to their adaptability and evolutionary success across diverse environments. The other options do not accurately describe arthropods. Animals with no limbs would refer to a different category, while the notion of size relative to vertebrates doesn't pertain to the defining characteristics of arthropods. Additionally, stating that arthropods only live in water fails to recognize that many, such as insects, thrive on land. Thus, the definition centered around segmented bodies and jointed appendages is the most accurate and supportive of the classification of arthropods.