Question

Arthropods have a characteristic feature of:

• A. Cuticular exoskeleton
• B. Aerial mode of life
• C. Presence of wing venation
• D. Bright coloration

Hint:

Arthropods molt (ecdysis) to grow - shedding their exoskeleton and forming a new larger one.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Defining arthropod features:
Exoskeleton:
Made of chitin and proteins
Provides protection and support
Other features not universal:
Not all arthropods fly (e.g., spiders)
Wings only in insects
Coloration varies widely

Answer 2

Elimination approach:
Not every arthropod lives in the air; many, such as crabs, scorpions, mites and countless soil- and water-dwelling species, are entirely terrestrial or aquatic and never fly, so an "aerial mode of life" cannot be the defining trait, ruling out option (B). Wing venation is a feature only of the winged insects (Pterygota) within one class of Arthropoda, not of spiders, crustaceans or myriapods, so option (C) fails as a phylum-wide character. Bright coloration is highly variable across arthropods, from dull soil-dwelling isopods to vividly coloured butterflies, so it cannot be a universal identifying feature either, eliminating option (D).
What every member of the phylum shares is a hardened, chitin-based cuticular exoskeleton with jointed appendages, the origin of the name "Arthropoda" (jointed feet).
This confirms cuticular exoskeleton as the correct, universally applicable answer.