 An arthropod (from Greek ἄρθρον arthron, "joint" and

πούς pous, "foot") is an invertebrate animal having an

exoskeleton (external skeleton), a segmented body, and
paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the
phylum Euarthropoda,[1][3] which includes insects,
arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans. The term
Arthropoda as originally proposed refers to a proposed
grouping of Euarthropods and the phylum
Onychophora. Arthropods are characterized by their
jointed limbs and cuticle made of chitin, often
mineralised with calcium carbonate. The arthropod
body plan consists of segments, each with a pair of
appendages. The rigid cuticle inhibits growth, so
arthropods replace it periodically by moulting