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Miniaturisation in Chelicerata.

Jason A Dunlop1

  • 1Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, Berlin D-10115, Germany.

Arthropod Structure & Development
|October 28, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Miniaturization in arachnids (Chelicerata) involves significant morphological changes, like reduced legs and altered respiratory organs. This review examines these adaptations in both fossil and modern chelicerates, highlighting evolutionary trends in body size.

Keywords:
ArachnidBauplanBody sizeMorphology

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Area of Science:

  • Arthropod Biology
  • Evolutionary Morphology
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Chelicerata, including arachnids, exhibit a vast range in body size, from large horseshoe crabs to microscopic mites.
  • Spiders (Araneae) display remarkable size variation within their body plan, making them ideal for studying scaling effects.
  • Mite clades (Parasitiformes and Acariformes) are particularly specialized for small body sizes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review miniaturization and its consequences across fossil and extant chelicerates.
  • To investigate morphological changes associated with small body size and niche adaptation.
  • To explore potential phylogenetic divisions related to respiratory structures and body size.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative morphological analysis of fossil and extant chelicerates.
  • Review of existing literature on chelicerate size variation and adaptations.
  • Examination of character distributions to infer evolutionary trends.

Main Results:

  • Miniaturization in chelicerates is linked to reduced leg length and number, loss of prosomal arteries and heart, and changes in respiratory organs (book lungs to tracheae or loss).
  • Evolutionary novelties include specialized attachment structures in mites for host association.
  • Character distributions suggest a division between larger, lung-bearing arachnids and smaller, non-lung-bearing groups, though exceptions exist.

Conclusions:

  • Miniaturization drives significant morphological and physiological adaptations in chelicerates.
  • The evolution of small body size may reflect a fundamental phylogenetic split within Chelicerata.
  • Lineages can evolve towards or away from miniaturized traits, demonstrating evolutionary plasticity.