Final answer:
Arthropods are characterized by a nervous system, a segmented body, and an open circulatory system. They also have a hard exoskeleton made of chitin and different respiratory systems like gills or tracheae, depending on their habitat.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristics of arthropods that apply from the given options are a nervous system, a segmented body, and an open circulatory system. Arthropods indeed have a complex nervous system that includes a brain and a ventral nerve cord, and their body plan is segmented, typically into a head, thorax, and abdomen. Also, they possess an open circulatory system with hemolymph, which unlike closed circulatory systems, does not confine the blood-like fluid within vessels but instead allows it to bathe the internal organs directly.
Asexual reproduction is not a characteristic commonly associated with arthropods, as most undergo sexual reproduction. Key examples and features to understand include:
- Arthropods have appendages on at least one segment used for various functions.
- They have a hard exoskeleton made of chitin, which they must shed to grow, a process known as molting.
- Their respiratory systems vary, with aquatic arthropods using gills, and terrestrial ones, like insects, using tracheae.