Class : Insecta
Arthropods
• Arthropods are numerous and diverse
– Insects (beetles, flies, moths, earwigs, aphids)
– Arachnids (spiders, ticks, mites, scorpions)
– Crustaceans (crayfish, crabs, lobsters, sowbugs)
– Centipedes, millipedes
• Exoskeleton is a hard outer shell
• Jointed appendages, segmented body
• Not arthropods: slugs, snails, earthworms
• 5 Classes of Arthropods
Class 1: Hexapoda/Insecta: Insects,
six, jointed appendages
Class 2: Chilopoda- Centipedes, one
pair of legs per body segment,
multiple body segments
Class 3: Diplapoda- Millipedes, two
pairs of legs per body segment,
multiple body segments
Class 4: Crustacea- Crayfish, five
pairs of jointed appendages
Class 5: Arachnida- Spiders, four
pairs of jointed appendages
Class 6: Onychophora- Peripatus,
many pairs of unjointed legs.
Class Insecta
(the insects)
Basic insect body plan
Head
Thorax
Abdomen
Basic insect body plan
Abdomen Thorax Head
Mouth
Parts
How to ID insects: mouthparts
Piercing-sucking: Sponging: Siphoning:
mosquitoes, true bugs house fly butterflies, moths
Chewing:
grasshoppers,
beetles,
praying mantis
Images on this page from R. Bessin, University of Kentucky
Antenna
• One Pair on head FILIFORM
• Jointed
• Sensory (smell)
• Called “feelers”
• Filiform most common
shape (segments = size)
• May be modified
Antenna Modifications
How to ID insects: antennae
[Link]
Count the Legs!
There are ALWAYS SIX legs, and they are attached to the
THORAX
Modification of legs
How to ID insects: legs
walking
L. Jesse
How to ID insects: legs
grasping
How to ID insects: legs
digging
How to ID insects: legs
jumping
Paul M. Choate, University of Florida
insects: legs
How to ID
Wings or No Wings
• Most adults have 2 pairs
• Called forewings and
hindwings
• Some insects are wingless
(silverfish, fleas, some
termites and ants)
beetle true bug grasshopper earwig
© Marlin E. Rice © Marlin E. Rice L. Jesse
wasp butterfly fly
© Marlin E. Rice
L. Jesse
L. Jesse
CIRCLE THE INSECTS
Basic classification of Insects
Insecta
Apterygota Pterygota
Exopterygota Endopterygota
Apterygota Pterygota
1. Primarily wingless-evolved Winged or secondarily
from wingless ancestors wingless- evolved from
winged ancestors. e.g. Flea,
head louse, bed bug.
2. Metamorphosis is totally Present.
absent or slight.
3. Mandibular articulation in Dicondylic i.e., double.
head is monocondylic i.e.,
single
4. Pleural sulcus in thorax is Present.
absent.
5. Pregenital abdominal Absent.
appendages present.
Class Insecta
(all have one pair of antennae, a head, thorax &
abdominal regions, three pair of legs, adults usually
have wings, use trachea)
Life Cycle Groups
Incomplete - egg, nymph, adult
stages
Complete - egg, larva, pupa, adult
stages
Incomplete Life Cycle Example
(hairy chinch bug)
egg 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th adult
instar instar instar instar instar
Egg Nymphal
Stage Stage
Incomplete Metamorphosis Example
(hairy chinch bug)
egg 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th shortwing normal wing
instar instar instar instar instar adult adult
Egg Nymphal
Stage Stage S
Complete Life Cycle Example
(May/June beetle)
egg 1st 2nd 3rd pupa adult
instar instar instar
Egg Larval Pupal Adult
Stage Stage Stage Stage
Complete Life Cycle Example
(northern masked chafer)
egg 1st 2nd 3rd pupa adult
instar instar instar
Egg Larval Pupal
Stage Stage Stage
Insect metamorphosis
Complete metamorphosis: Incomplete metamorphosis:
egg, larva, pupa, adult egg, nymph, adult
e.g., beetles, butterflies, flies e.g., grasshoppers, true bugs
Images from Cornell University, Http://[Link]/Assignments/Insects/[Link]
Basic classification of Insects
Insecta
Apterygota Pterygota
Exopterygota Endopterygota
Character Exopterygota Endopterygota
1. Wing External Internal
development
2. Type of Incomplete Complete (Holome-
metamorphosis (Hemimetabola) or tabola)
gradual
(Paurametabola)
3. Pupal stage Absent Present
4. Immature stage Naiad or Nymph Larva
5. No. of orders 17 9
Basic classification of Insects
Insecta
Apterygota Pterygota
Order 1: Protura
Order 2: Diplura
Order 3: Collembola
Order 4: Thysannura
Body
Diplura Protura Collembola
Slender Very minute; Small
Small to large 2 mm or less Covered with
few mm (max 60 hairs or scale
mm) 0.2 to 10 mm
Diplura Protura Collembola
Includes:
Silverfish
Firebrat
Springtail
Mouthparts: Chewing
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Like to lay their eggs in books and wall paper because of the
paper and glue.
Live 3-5 years
Most primitive of all insects.
Thysanura
Basic classification of Insects
Insecta
Apterygota Pterygota
Exopterygota Endopterygota
Sub class 2: Pterygota
Exopterygota (Insects having simple metamorphosis)
Order 5. Ephemeroptera (May flies)
Order 6: Odonata (Dragon flies & damsel flies)
Order 7: Plecoptera (Stone flies)
Order 8: Grylloblattodea (Grylloblattids)
Order 9: Orthoptera (Locusts and grass hoppers )
Order 10: Phasmida (Walking sticks, leaf insects & stick insects)
Order 11: Dermaptera (Ear wigs)
Order 12: Embioptera (Web spinners)
Order 13 Dictyoptera ( Cockroaches and mantids)
Order 14: Isoptera ( White ants or termites)
Order 15: Zoraptera ( Zorapterans)
Order 16: Psocoptera ( Psocids, book lice)
Order 17: Mallophaga ( Bird lice)
Order 18: Siphunculata or Anoplura (sucking lice)
Order 19: Hemiptera ( Plant bugs)
Order 20: Thysanoptera ( Thrips)
Odonata
Includes: Dragonfly,
Damselfly
Mouthparts:
Chewing-Lapping
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Live in the water the first year of
their lives.
After leaving the water they only
live a month.
Have been around 300 million
years.
Medium to large brilliantly
coloured insects.
Body elongate
Plecoptera
• Pleco: folded
• Ptera: wings
• World spp. = 200
Grylloblattodea
(Rock crawlers, ice crawler/icebugs)
• Gryllus – cricket
• Blatta – cockroach
Orthoptera
Includes:
Indian House Crickets
Field Cricket
Short-horned Grasshoppers
Katydid (Long-horned Grasshoppers)
Phasmida
(stick insects, leaf insects, walking
sticks, phasmids)
Latin phasma = apparition, (Ghost
like)
World spp. 2500
Indian spp. 60
Predominantly tropical group occur
in the Indo-Malaysian region
The body, which in some species may exceed 30 cm in
length, is commonly elongate
In those species that retain wings the body may be dorsoventrally
flattened and sculptured so as to resemble a leaf or a group of leaves.
Dermaptera
Includes: Earwigs
Earwig
Mouthparts: Chewing Mouthparts
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Like humid, dark areas.
Release a foul smelling liquid up to 4in
away.
Oldest known fossil dates back to Jurassic
period.
Embioptera
Webspinners, Embiids, Footspinners
• Greek embios = lively,
• pteron = wing
• The group comprises ca. 360 species
• India 33
No trace of wings can be seen in females;
males maybe apterous, brachypterous, or
fully winged.
Blattodea
Mantodea
Isoptera
Includes:
Dry-wood termite
• Subterranean termite
Mouthparts: Chewing Mouthparts
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Live for 15 years.
Lay 1 egg every 15 seconds
Eat wood. Can destroy a house in 2-3 years.
Recycle wood in the soil.
Zoraptera
Angel insects
these minute insects (3 mm or less in
length)
Phthiraptera
Formally Anoplura and Mallophaga
Includes: Lice
◦ Chewing Louse
◦ Sucking Louse
Mouthparts:
Chewing and Piercing-Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Sucking lice feed continuously on blood
Chewing lice feed on hair and feathers of
animals and humans.
Wingless. Do not fly or jump
Hemiptera – True Bugs
Includes:
Assassin bugs
Kissing bugs
Leaf-footed bug
Lygus bug
Stink bug
Minute pirate bug
Big-eyed bug
Damsel bug
Mouthparts:
Piercing-Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Fun Facts:
All of the true “bugs” are in this order.
Most have a common v shape on their shield.
Homoptera
Includes:
Cicadas
Aphids
Armored scales
Cottony cushion scale
Cochineal scale
Leafhoppers
Treehoppers
Whiteflies
Mouthparts:
Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Generally incomplete
Fun Facts:
Cochineal scales are used in makeup
products for the red color.
Thysanoptera
Includes: Thrip
Thrip
Mouthparts: Rasping-Sucking
Mouthparts
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Common Pests on flowers, citrus and
onions.
Multiples of this pest are still called
Thrip.
Endopterygota ( Insects having complex metamorphosis)
Order 21: Neuroptera ( Ant lions and lace wings)
Order 22: Coleoptera ( Beetles, weevils)
Order 23: Strepsiptera ( Stylopids)
Order 24: Mecoptera ( Scorpion flies)
Order 25: Siphonoptera ( Fleas)
Order 26: Diptera ( Flies, midges, mosquitoes)
Order 27: Lepidoptera ( Moths and butterflies)
Order 28: Trichoptera ( Caddis flies)
Order 29: Hymenoptera ( Ants ,bees, wasps)
Neuroptera
Includes:
Green Lacewing
Antlion
Mouthparts:
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Both are beneficial insects.
Antlions creat a sand pit to
capture unsuspecting prey.
Coleopter
Includes: Beetles and Weevils
a
Blister beetle
Boll weevil
Collops beetle
Darkling beetle (Pinacate or Eleodes beetle)
Dermestid beetle
Dung beetle
Fig beetle
Flea beetle
Lady beetle (Ladybird beetle/ Ladybug)
Long-horned beetle (round-headed wood
borer)
Palo Verde root borer
Metallic wood borer (flat-headed borer)
White grub (Scarab beetle larva)
10 Striped June beetle
Mouthparts:
Chewing, Weevil- Piercing Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamophosis
Fun Facts:
Coleoptera means sheath wing.
Strepsiptera
(Greek strephein = to
twist, pteron = wing,
English common
name: twisted wing
parasites)
Life stages of Stylopidia
Mecoptera
(including Nannomecoptera and Neomecoptera,
Greek meco = long, pteron = wing, English common names
for subgroups: scorpionflies, hangingflies etc.)
Siphonaptera
Includes:
Cat and dog flea
Mouthparts:
Piercing Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Fleas can live 100 days without feeding.
Can jump 100 times their own length.
Been around more than 100 million years.
Females can consume more than 15 times their
body weight daily.
Diptera
Includes: Flies, Midges, Mosquito
House fly
Crane fly
Syrphid or hover fly
Bee fly
Tachinid fly
Bot fly
Deer fly
Mosquito
Gall Midge
Mouthparts:
Sponging, Piercing sucking- Mosquito
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamophosis
Facts: Are common vectors of disease.
Lepidoptera
Includes: Butterflies and Moths
Bagworm
• Two-tailed Swallowtail
• Budworm/Bollworm
• Pink Bollworm
• Grape-leaf Skeletonizer
• Salt Marsh Caterpillar
• Tomato Hornworm
• Sphinx Moth
• Monarch
• Checkered skipper
Mouthparts: Chewing – Caterpillars,
Siphoning – adult.
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Fun Facts: The largest butterfly is the
Birdwings that have 11in wingspans.
Trichoptera (Greek trichos = hair, pteron = wing,
English common name: caddisflies)
Hymenoptera
Includes: Bees, Wasps, Ants
Horntail wasp
Sawfly
Gall wasps
Honey bee
Leaf-cutter bee
Carpenter bee
Bumble bee
Harvester ant
Leaf-cutter ant
Fire ant
Velvet Ant (mutillid)
Paper wasp
Ichneumon wasp
Thread-waisted wasp
Tarantula hawk (spider wasp)
Mouthparts:
Chewing-Lapping
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamophosis
Facts: Contain all the social insects except
termites.
• There are 29 different orders of insects in the class Insecta, ten of
which are considered of economic importance to agriculturists.
The sixteen orders are:
1. Orthoptera
2. Dictyoptera
3. Odonata
4. Isoptera
5. Thysanoptera
6. Hemiptera
7. Neuroptera
8. Lepidoptera
9. Coleoptera
10. Hymenoptera
11. Diptera
1. Orthoptera: Acrididae, Tettigonidae, Gryllidae, Gryllotalpidae;
2. Dictyoptera: Mantidae, Blattidae;
3. Odonata;
4. Isoptera: Termitidae;
5. Thysanoptera: Thripidae;
6. Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, Coreidae, Cimicidae, Pyrrhocoridae,
Lygaeidae, Cicadellidae, Delphacidae, Aphididae, Coccidae,
Lophophidae, Aleurodidae, Pseudococcidae;
7. Neuroptera: Chrysopidae;
8. Lepidoptera: Pieridae, Papiloinidae, Noctuidae, Sphingidae, Pyralidae,
Gelechiidae, Arctiidae, Saturnidae, Bombycidae;
9. Coleoptera: Coccinellidae, Chrysomelidae, Cerambycidae,
Curculionidae, Bruchidae, Scarabaeidae;
10. Hymenoptera: Tenthridinidae, Apidae. Trichogrammatidae,
lchneumonidae, Braconidae, Chalcididae;
11. Diptera: Cecidomyiidae, Tachinidae, Agromyziidae, Culicidae,Muscidae,
Tephritidae.