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Tyto alba
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Q: Why arthropods have not evolved to be huge? 1. Homework Statement
Arthropods have not been able to achieve great size because
(1) the type of organ systems they possesses could not support·such a development
(2) they would be unable to successfully reproduce
(3) chitin is brittle and must be thick to bear the pull of muscles
(4) their vision is not good enough to hunt larger prey
2. The attempt at a solution
I went through berkeley.edu and figured out three points:
1.A large organism molting will have the huge risk of predation. It would need to hide rather frequently as the skeleton hardens.
2. The appendages which are mostly tubular chitinous structures won't support the shear increase in body volume which increase 8 folds with ever 2 fold increase in length.
3. The present respiratory system won't be efficient.
So,
(1) the type of organ systems they possesses could not support·such a development - Not all systems' a problem
(2) they would be unable to successfully reproduce -ruled out looks not an issue, early maturation, high number of offsprings
(3) chitin is brittle and must be thick to bear the pull of muscles-yeah, if the volume increases and the exoskeleton doesn't become thick enough it won't be able to support the muscles
(4) their vision is not good enough to hunt larger prey-looks not an issueSo answer 3 ?
Arthropods have not been able to achieve great size because
(1) the type of organ systems they possesses could not support·such a development
(2) they would be unable to successfully reproduce
(3) chitin is brittle and must be thick to bear the pull of muscles
(4) their vision is not good enough to hunt larger prey
2. The attempt at a solution
I went through berkeley.edu and figured out three points:
1.A large organism molting will have the huge risk of predation. It would need to hide rather frequently as the skeleton hardens.
2. The appendages which are mostly tubular chitinous structures won't support the shear increase in body volume which increase 8 folds with ever 2 fold increase in length.
3. The present respiratory system won't be efficient.
So,
(1) the type of organ systems they possesses could not support·such a development - Not all systems' a problem
(2) they would be unable to successfully reproduce -ruled out looks not an issue, early maturation, high number of offsprings
(3) chitin is brittle and must be thick to bear the pull of muscles-yeah, if the volume increases and the exoskeleton doesn't become thick enough it won't be able to support the muscles
(4) their vision is not good enough to hunt larger prey-looks not an issueSo answer 3 ?
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