Characteristics of all arthropods include jointed appendages, segmentation, and an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is made of chitinous material which is quite brittle. Some arthropods also have calcium added to their shells to make them more sturdy, like crabs.
Arthropods are the first group of organisms to fly.
Chelicerates include spiders, mites, and ticks. Chelicerates are named after their chelicerae, or fangs. They have pedipalps around their mouths for food handling. Mites and one of the most abundant animals on the planet. Ticks are ectoparasites and are responsible for carrying many diseases including lyme disease and Rocky Mountian Spotted Fever.