booklet questions
Describe its skeletal system. What are some key features of it?
The prawn has an exoskeleton, it is made up of several large segments that support the prawn's movement by overlapping on one half and stretching apart on the other as the prawn bends it's body to swim.
What are some of the roles of the skeleton for the prawn?
The prawn's skeleton is and exoskeleton, it protects the prawn from predators acting as a hard shell. It also contains the prawn and supports its movement.
What other kinds of animals have this kind of skeletal system?
Some other animals with exoskeletons are lobsters, crabs, millipedes, spiders and cockroaches.
How is it different from our skeletal system?
The prawn's skeletal system is different to ours in that it is on the outside of the body and it has larger segments that move in and out from each other as the prawn bends to swim.
What are some disadvantages of this kind of skeletal system?
It limits the movement of the prawn to one direction, perhaps if the prawn had an internal skeletal system it could move in all sorts of directions.
How might it grow?
In order to grow the prawn sheds its shell and grows a new, bigger one. However, before shedding the shell the prawn absorbs most of the chitin and protein out of it's shell. The prawn then sheds its shell, it is very vulnerable at this stage with only a soft shell to protect it, however the shell soon hardens and the prawn will grow into it. When the prawn becomes too big the process begins again.
What is this kind of skeletal system called?
The skeleton of a prawn is and exoskeleton.
What is the skeleton made of?
Chitin which is a type of sugar
calcium carbonate which gives it strength
Protein
The prawn has an exoskeleton, it is made up of several large segments that support the prawn's movement by overlapping on one half and stretching apart on the other as the prawn bends it's body to swim.
What are some of the roles of the skeleton for the prawn?
The prawn's skeleton is and exoskeleton, it protects the prawn from predators acting as a hard shell. It also contains the prawn and supports its movement.
What other kinds of animals have this kind of skeletal system?
Some other animals with exoskeletons are lobsters, crabs, millipedes, spiders and cockroaches.
How is it different from our skeletal system?
The prawn's skeletal system is different to ours in that it is on the outside of the body and it has larger segments that move in and out from each other as the prawn bends to swim.
What are some disadvantages of this kind of skeletal system?
It limits the movement of the prawn to one direction, perhaps if the prawn had an internal skeletal system it could move in all sorts of directions.
How might it grow?
In order to grow the prawn sheds its shell and grows a new, bigger one. However, before shedding the shell the prawn absorbs most of the chitin and protein out of it's shell. The prawn then sheds its shell, it is very vulnerable at this stage with only a soft shell to protect it, however the shell soon hardens and the prawn will grow into it. When the prawn becomes too big the process begins again.
What is this kind of skeletal system called?
The skeleton of a prawn is and exoskeleton.
What is the skeleton made of?
Chitin which is a type of sugar
calcium carbonate which gives it strength
Protein