Describe the functions for all of the different appendages o

Describe the functions for all of the different appendages of the crayfish(include mouthparts and antennae).

Solution

Crayfish is a representative organism of phylum arthropoda and has features as tabulated below:

Structure

Function

Antennules

These are the organs of touch and taste of a crayfish. These also serve as balancing centres of the body and help in maintaining posture

Antenna

These are organs of taste and touch

The upper jaw or mandible

The upper jaw contains strong muscles which help in crushing and churning the food

The maxilla and maxillipeds

These are the extensions of lower jaw which hold the food and help in moving the partially crushed/churned food through ventro-forward movements across the thorax to reach the digestive tract

Chelipeds

These are the extensions of the torso which help in catching/grasping the food

Legs

These are the major organs of locomotion and jointed in nature

Swimmerets

These are small extended organs present on the ventral abdomen and have important role in both males and females. These organs help in transferring sperms to the female from a male. Similarly, a female crayfish uses its swimmerets to hold the eggs and young ones. They also help in swimming and locomotion.

Uropod

Posterior ventral organs which help in swimming

Telson

Posterior ventral organs which help in swimming

Structure	Function
Antennules	These are the organs of touch and taste of a crayfish. These also serve as balancing centres of the body and help in maintaining posture
Antenna	These are organs of taste and touch
The upper jaw or mandible	The upper jaw contains strong muscles which help in crushing and churning the food
The maxilla and maxillipeds	These are the extensions of lower jaw which hold the food and help in moving the partially crushed/churned food through ventro-forward movements across the thorax to reach the digestive tract
Chelipeds	These are the extensions of the torso which help in catching/grasping the food
Legs	These are the major organs of locomotion and jointed in nature
Swimmerets	These are small extended organs present on the ventral abdomen and have important role in both males and females. These organs help in transferring sperms to the female from a male. Similarly, a female crayfish uses its swimmerets to hold the eggs and young ones. They also help in swimming and locomotion.
Uropod	Posterior ventral organs which help in swimming
Telson	Posterior ventral organs which help in swimming