The wide diversity of arthropod body plans can be attributed to: Question 8 options: flexibility in metabolism that lets them use a variety of carbon and energy sources small body sizes that allow individuals to colonize many habitats mutations in genes that regulate the development of limbs, mouthparts, etc. acquisition of mitochondria through endosymbiosis of proteobacteria flexibility in metabolism that lets them use a variety of carbon and energy sources small body sizes that allow individuals to colonize many habitats mutations in genes that regulate the development of limbs, mouthparts, etc. acquisition of mitochondria through endosymbiosis of proteobacteria Solution The wide diversity of arthropod body plans can be attributed to : mutations in genes that regulate the development of limbs ,mouthparts etc..