Chelicerata
Arthropoda (= Panarthropoda)
Euarthropoda
(= Arthropoda)
Mandibulata
Onychophora Chelicerata Crustacea Myriapoda Insecta
Tardigrada
WX 6/99
Chelicerata
Arachnida
Xiphosura Scorpiones Aranea Uropygi Ambli Pseudo- Solifuga Opiliones Acari
pygi scorpiones
1
Chelicerata
1 Autapomorphies
• Reduction of A1
• Chelicera on the 1. trunk segment (3 parts.)
• Differentiation in Prosoma (Prostomium + x + 6 segm.)
and Opisthosoma (13 segm. + Telson)
• Nephridia transformed to coxal glands (orig. 4, only in
the prosoma)
• Nervous system concentrated (OpS-ganglia become
suboesophagial ganglion)
• Horizontal moulting line
Digestive tract with laterally, originally segmented
diverticula
Trilobita
Fossile Chelicerata
Since Kambrium (530 Mio a)
Until Karbon (?)
Very abundant,
up to 60 cm
Body organised in pro-, meso-
and metasoma
Pleurotergite
Legs dipartite (Exo- und
Endopodit)
Gnathocoxae
Compound eyes
Mainly predators
Trilobita
From: Westheide & Rieger (2006)
WX 1/02
Xiphosura
Pfeilschwanzkrebse
• Similar to Trilobita (Eumuellida)
• Large Chelicerata
• Body plan with
Prosoma und Opisthosoma
(Meso- und Metasoma)
• marine
• gills
• Complex eyes
• Gnathocoxae
• Three lobed body
Few species
Genera: Limulus,
Limulus polyphemus
Tachypleus, Carcinoscorpius
Aus: Hennig 1980
Chelicere
Pedipalpus
= 1st
walking leg
Walking legs
2-5
Mouth
opening
between the
Gnatho-
coxae
Foto: W. Xylander
Eurypterida
Marine Chelicerata
Similar to scorpions:
7 Mesosoma
5 Metasoma-Segmente
Compound eyes
Swimming legs
Up to 1.8 m in length
Kambrium to Silur:
520 Mio a
Aus: Westheide & Rieger
(2006)
Arachnida
Autapomorphies
• Terrestrial
• Reductions of gills
• Book lungs as expiratory organs
• Extraintestinal digestion
• Pleurotergites reduced
• Compound eyes reduced
• Legs of the Opisthosoma reduced:
Op 1: totally
Op 2: Operculum genitale
• Malpighian tubules as excretory organs
• Gonopori paired
• Nephridia (Coxal glands) at leg 1 and 3
Arachnida
Overview on
segmental
arrangement
WX 1/02
Scorpiones
• Pedipalpa modified to claws
• Poison sting at opisthosoma
segment 13
• 1. OpS reduced
• Operculum genitale paired (2.
OpS)
• Pectines: spezific comb-like
mechano receptors (3. OpS)
• Spezific type of spermatophores
• Vivipary and brood care
• ritual dancing prior to mating
• Genera: Pandinus, Euscorpius
Aus: Hennig 1980
Scorpiones
Wilhelma, Stuttgart
Foto: W. Xylander
Scorpiones
Photo: W. Xylander
WX 1/02
Scorpiones
Ritual mating dance
From: Westheide & Rieger (2006)
Spermatophore
Amblypygi
Überseemuseum Bremen
Photo: W. Xylander
Amblypygi
Stygophrynus spec.
Senckenberg, FFM
Photo: W. Xylander
Aranea
Spiders
Autapomorphies
• Chelicera with poisonous glands
• Pedipalpae of males become copulatory structure
• Opisthosoma with silk tubercles (OpS 4 and 5)
• Op with 12 segments
• No differentiation into meso- und metasoma
Common derived characters with Amblypygi
Nervous system concentrated as suboesophgial
ganglion
Postcerebral sucking pump
One pair of stigmata in OpS 2 and 3 (lungs)
Aranea
Spiders
Lapidognath Aranea, from above and underneath
From: Westheide & Rieger (2007)
Aranea
Spiders
Aus: Westheide & Rieger (2007)
Aranea
Photos: W. Xylander
Aranea
All drawings from:
Westheide & Rieger (2006)
Photo: W. Xylander
Aranea
Sex dimorphism
Photo: W. Xylander
Aranea
Mesothelae
• Most primitive recent
groups of spiders
• Sclerotised plates still
present dorsally
• Silk appendages „finger-
like“, anteriorly located
• distribution: southeast
asia
• Genus: Liphistius
Aus: Westheide & Rieger (2007)
Aranea
Opisthothelae
All other spiders
• Spinning appendages
not segmented,
located posteriorly
• Opisthosoma without
tergites
Argiope bruennei
Foto: W. Xylander
Uropygi
Autapomorphies
• Mouth cavity subdivided
• Opisthosoma with
defense glands (acidic
acid)
• Last OpS tubule like
extended
Only one subtaxon
(Thelyphonida) has enlarged
chelicerae
Senckenberg, FFM
Photo: W. Xylander
Palpigrada
Solifuga
Autapomorphies
• Chelicerae very well developed, 2-partite
• Chelicerae of males with „flagellum“ (bristle that serves as
copulatory organ)
• Pedipalpus with extensible adhesive organ
• Posterior leg with „malleoli“ (sense organ)
• Op with 11 segments
• OpS 1 fused with prosoma
• Lateral eyes reduced
Genus: Galeodes
Solifuga
Takhytal, Mongolia
Photo: W. Xylander
Solifuga
From:
Senckenberg-museums guide
Pseudoscorpiones
Autapomorphies
• Tip of 2. Chelicera segment
with silk gland
• Pedipalpae enlarged, with
claw, often with poisonous
gland
• Median eyes reduced, Lateral
eyes max. 2
• Brood care (female carries
eggs in an fold on the ventral
side)
Genus: Chelifer
Pseudoscorpiones
Pseudoscorpiones
Pseudoskorpione
Foto: Günther Ullrich
Pseudoscorpiones
Ritual dance during copulation
From: Westheide & Rieger (2006)
Opiliones
Autapomorphies
• Lateral eyes reduced
• Legs of 1. (partly also 2.) trunk segment
form preoral cavity
• Prosoma with „repellent gland“ (at the
basis of 1. leg)
• Coxal gland with collecting bladder in
the opisthosoma
• Malpighian tubules lacking Photo: W. Xylander
• Males with penis
• Females with ovipositor
Opisthosoma with 10 Segments
Legs often extremely elongated, tarsalia
multipartite
Opiliones
From: Westheide & Rieger (2006)
Opiliones
From: Westheide & Rieger (2006)
Opiliones
Photo: W. Xylander
Opiliones
Senckenberg, FFM
Photo: W. Xylander
Ricinulei
From: the internet
Acari
Many species
Mites
Mostly very small (1-2 mm), often soil living
High economic and medical relevance
Nymph stages (with only 3 Bp) (as in Ricinulei)
Autapomorphies
• Prostomium fused with segments of Che/Ped to
Gnathosoma (Capitulum)
• Gnathosoma separated from the rest of the body
• Median eyes lacking
• Formation of preoral cavity
Often further differentation of body segmentation:
Proterosoma: Gnathosoma + leg 1 & 2
Hysterosoma: legs 3 & 4 + Opisthosoma
Acari
Oribatida
• Thick cuticle againts evaporation and predators
• Oft with “lid” for tight closure
• Feeding on fungus hyphae and leaves
• spezific mouth parts
• Very abundant in soils of conifere forests (400.000
ind./m²)
• Size: ca. 0.5 mm
Acari
Oribatida
Acari
Gamasina
• large mouthparts
• Predators (Nematoda, Collembola,
other mites, insecten larvae)
• eat 2-5 animals of their size per day
• Prey injured, ferments injected and
sucked out
• blind
• Orientation with 1. pair of legs
• Used for biological pest management
• Size: ca. 1 mm
Acari
Gamasina
Pantopoda
Pantopoda
Pygnogonum spec.
Collossendeis proboscidea
Senckenberg, FFM
Foto: W. Xylander
