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3 Simple steps to make plausible giant arthropods; without having to drastically change their anatomy
Topic Started: Nov 13 2016, 06:00 PM (2,985 Views)
Darth_Biomech
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Cybernetic organism
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Hate to necro, but I was kinda disappointed that the entire thread almost immediately shifted from "how giant arthropods might be possible" to classification discussion, that went for six pages.

So, I heard that the main limiting factor for the arthropods is not the oxygen concentration or exoskeleton strength, but rather that they have primitive and highly inefficient breathing systems, that scale up very poorly (spiracles and tracheal tubes leading directly into the tissues instead of good old proper lungs and closed circulatory system)? Well, that, and also competition from the vertebrates - you cannot grow to the point where you need to start evolving more efficient breathing apparatus without also becoming a juicy and easy snack for some rat or bird.

So i thought, if some disaster happened, that would drive all (or most) terrestrial and shallow water vertebrates to extinction, but would leave arthropods relatively unaffected - could that open them a way to evolve proper lungs and move on to larger forms, free of the vertebrate efficiency tyranny, or the sealife would reclaim land faster? Not anything absolutely gigantic, just up to roughly human's volume. Or their breathing system become too specialized for change?
Edited by Darth_Biomech, Aug 2 2017, 07:51 PM.
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