Specialized body segments in arthropods that are grouped together to perform specific functions, such as the head, thorax, and abdomen in insects. Each tagma contains multiple segments that have fused or become functionally integrated.
From Greek 'tagma' meaning 'arrangement' or 'order,' first used in zoology in the early 20th century. The term reflects how arthropod body segments became organized into functional units during evolution, moving beyond simple repetitive segmentation.
Think of tagmata as nature's modular design - like how a car has distinct sections (engine, passenger, trunk) each optimized for different jobs! This body plan was so successful that it allowed arthropods to become the most diverse animal group on Earth, with over a million described species.
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