What retention in woodlice confirms their ancestry within the typically aquatic Subphylum Crustacea?
Answer
Utilizing structures derived from ancestral gills for respiration
Woodlice belong to Subphylum Crustacea, a group predominantly composed of aquatic organisms such as crabs and lobsters. Even though woodlice inhabit the land, they retain morphological evidence of this aquatic heritage, particularly in their respiratory system. Instead of evolving true lungs, they maintain specialized structures that are essentially modified gills, referred to as pseudotracheae. This reliance on moisture to keep these gill-like structures functional serves as a constant biological reminder of their evolutionary path and limits their ability to thrive in truly arid conditions, cementing their placement within Crustacea rather than Hexapoda (insects).
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