Washington Master Esthetics Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of an arthropod?

1. Flea

2. Worm

3. Mite

4. Lice

The correct answer is: Lice

An arthropod is a member of the phylum Arthropoda, which includes invertebrate animals that have an exoskeleton, segmented bodies, and jointed appendages. Among the choices provided, lice are indeed classified as arthropods because they possess these key characteristics. Lice are small, wingless insects that fulfill the defining traits of arthropods with their exoskeleton, segmented body structure, and jointed legs. They belong to the order Phthiraptera within the class Insecta. Lice are parasitic and feed on the blood of mammals and birds, which is another common feature observed in many arthropods. In contrast, while fleas and mites are also arthropods, lice is specifically the example given in the answer. Worms do not belong to the arthropod classification since they belong to different phyla, such as Annelida or Nematoda, and lack an exoskeleton and jointed limbs. Thus, recognizing the defining characteristics of arthropods leads to understanding why lice are categorized correctly as an example of this group.