Pygidium
The pygidium is the posterior body part or shield of crustaceans and some other arthropods, such as insects and the extinct trilobites. In groups other than insects, it contains the anus and, in females, the ovipositor. It is composed of fused body segments, sometimes with a tail, and separated from thoracic segments by an articulation.
Chelicerates
In arachnids, the pygidium is formed by reduction of the last three opisthosomal segments to rings where there is no distinction between tergites and sternites. A pygidium is present in Palpigradi, Amblypygi, Uropygi, Schizomida, Ricinulei and in the extinct order Trigonotarbida. It is also present in early fossil representatives of horseshoe crabs.Trilobites
In trilobites, the pygidium can range from extremely small to larger than the cephalon. They can be smooth, as in order Asaphida, or spiny, as in order Lichida. They can be classified into four categories according to their relative size in comparison to the cephalon.- Micropygous – the pygidium is considerably smaller than the cephalon.
- Subisopygous – the pygidium is slightly smaller than the cephalon.
- Isopygous – the cephalon and the pygidium are more or less of equal size.
- Macropygous – the pygidium is larger than the cephalon.