Classification of insects

Nalwandikar P.K.
Associate professor of Entomology,
College of Agriculture, Latur
Odonata
Characteristics
These often brightly
coloured, fast flying insects .
Dragonflies and damselflies
are medium to large insects
with body lengths ranging
from 15-120 millimetres.
They are often seen flying
rapidly over streams and
lakes, or through gardens at
dusk, often following
regular flight paths every
Odonata
• Abdomen long and slender
• Large and prominent
compound eyes
• 3 ocelli
• Very small filiform antennae
• Predacious insects with
Mandibulate mouthparts
• Two pairs of membranous
wings of similar shape and size
• Wings with complex
reticulation of small cross
veins and usually conspicuous
stigma.
•Nymphs are aquatic, hemimetabolus
•Labium modified into a prehensile organ.
•Respiration by means of rectal or caudal gills.
Life Cycle
The nymph spend almost their entire life underwater
and moult up to 15 times before they are ready to
emerge. When fully mature the final instar crawls out
onto overhanging rocks or vegetation where they
shed their last nymphal skin and emerge as an adult
ready to hunt and mate. For most species
development takes 1 to 2 years but some species that
utilise temporary water bodies grow rapidly and
develop into adults after a couple of months. Adults
generally live for just a few weeks.
Feeding
Dragonflies and damselflies are carnivorous as both
adults and nymphs. Nymphs feed on freshwater
invertebrates. Adults hunt by sight and prey on flying
insects catching them on the wing with their legs.
Habitat
Dragonflies and damselflies need water to breed,
individuals can be seen flying many kilometres from
freshwater. The nymphs of dragonflies and damselflies
can be found in many aquatic habitats including either
sluggish or fast running freshwater creeks, rivers,
stream and lakes, and some species inhabit the more
saline habitats of inland water
 Odonata
Suborders
Anisoptera Anisozygoptera Zygoptera
Dragon flies Epioflebia spp. Damselflies
Fore and hind wings Wings not petiolate Fore and hind wings
Not petiolate, dissim The venation similar are closely similar in
-ilar in form and to zygoptera form and venation.
venation Wings more or less
petiolate basally
Wing are held Wing are held
horizontally above vetically in repose
abdomen in repose over abdomen
Discoidal cells Nodus is usually
Differentiated into before the middle of
Triangle and supra- wings. Discoidal
Triangle. Cells not divided in
Triangle and supra-
 Anisoptera Zygoptera
Tringle
Eyes large never Eyes projecting
separated by more laterally and
than their dorsal separated by a
diameter and often space greater
continuous dorsally. than their
diameter.
Gizzard with 4-8 folds Gizzard with
8-16 radially
symmetrical folds
normally stouter, fly slowly and
larger and much leisurely
more acrobatic in
their flight
 Order Odonata

Suborder Zygoptera Anisozygoptera Anisoptera

Family Epiophlebiidae
Superfamily
Coenagrioidea Hemiphlebioidea Lestinoidea Agrioidea
Family Platystictidae Hemiphlebiidae Perilestidae Pseudolestidae
Protoneuridae Chlorolestidae Amphipterygidae
Platycnemidae Lestidae Chlorocyphidae
Coenagriidae (=Agrionidae) Heliocharitidae
Pseudostigmatidae Polythoridae
Megapodagriidae Epalligidae
Agriidae

Suborder Anisoptera

Superfamily Aeshnoidae Cordulegasteroidea Libelluloidea

Family Gomphidae Family Cordulagasteridae Family Synthemidae
Family Petaluridae Corduliidae
Family Aeshnidae Macrodiplactidae
Libellulidae
ifferences Between Dragonflies and Damselflies
Characteristic Dragonfly Damselfly
Most have eyes that touch, or Eyes are clearly separated,
Eyes nearly touch, at the top of the usually appearing to each
head side of the head
Body Usually stocky Usually long and slender
Dissimilar wing pairs, with hind
Wing Shape
wings broader at the base All wings similar in shape

Position at Rest
Wings held open, horizontally Wings held closed, usually
or downwards over abdomen
Discal Cell Univided into triangles Undivided, quadrilateral
Pair of superior anal
Male
appendages, single inferior Two pairs of anal
Appendages
appendage appendages
Female
Appendages Most have vestigial ovipositors Functional ovipositors
Larvae
Breathe through rectal Breathe through caudal gills;
tracheal gills; stocky bodies slender bodies
ifferences Between Dragonflies and Damselflies
Characteristic Dragonfly Damselfly
most have eyes that touch, or eyes are clearly separated,
Eyes nearly touch, at the top of the usually appearing to each
head side of the head
Body usually stocky usually long and slender
dissimilar wing pairs, with hind
Wing Shape
wings broader at the base all wings similar in shape

Position at Rest
wings held open, horizontally wings held closed, usually
or downwards over abdomen
Discal Cell divided into triangles undivided, quadrilateral
pair of superior anal
Male
appendages, single inferior two pairs of anal
Appendages
appendage appendages
Female
Appendages most have vestigial ovipositors functional ovipositors
Larvae
breathe through rectal breathe through caudal gills;
tracheal gills; stocky bodies slender bodies
 Ephimeroptera
• Characters:
• 1. Insects are soft bodied with short
setaceous antennae.
• 2. Mouth parts are vestigial derived
from biting type.
• 3. Wings are membranous , held
vertically upward when rest, hind pair
considerably reduced.
• 4. Wing venation is Archedictyon( An
irregular network of veins is found
between the principle longitudinal
veins, but no definite cross veins are
present.)
Ephimeroptera

• 5. Abdomen terminated by
very long cerci with or without
caudal process.
• 6. Metamorphosis is
incomplete
• 7. Nymphs are aquatic,
campodeiform, usually with
long cerci and a median caudal
filament.
• 8. Tracheal gills are present.
• 9. Adult stage is preceded by
subimaginal winged instar.
Mayflies (Ephemeroptera)

• Habits:
• Found on banks of lake, ponds,
streams
• Nymphs usually floates on water,
a break line ( fissure) appear in
the dorsal cuticle and winged
insect comes out.
• The resulting winged insect is
known as sub-imago.
• May flier are food for fishes, duns,
spinners and drakes.
Order Ephemeroptera
Superfamily Heptagenioidea
Family Siphlonuridae
Family Siphlaenigmatidae
Family Baetidae
Family Oligoneuriidae
Family Heptageniidae (= Ecdyonuridae)
Family Ametropodidae
Superfamily Leptophlebioidea
Family Leptophlebiidae
Family Ephemerellidae
Family Tricorythidae
Superfamily Ephemeroidea
Family Behningiidae
Family Potamanthidae
Family Euthyplociidae
Family Ephemeridae
Family Polymitarcyidae
Family Palingeniidae
Superfamily Caenoidea
Family Neoephemeridae
Family Caenidae
Superfamily Prosopistomatoidea
Family Baetiscidae
Family Prosopistomatidae
Orthoptera

• Medium or large sized, winged,

brachypterous or apterous
• Mouth parts are mandibulate
type.
• Prothorax large, hind legs
usually enlarged and modified
for jumping.
• Coaxed small and some
what widely separated,
tarsi 3 or 4 segmented ,
rarely with 5 or less than
three segments.
•Fore wings forming more or less thickened tegmina
with sub marginal costal vein.
•Wing pads of nymphs undergo reversal during
development .
• Females with well developed ovipositor not
concealed by 7th or 8th abdominal sterna.
• The male external genitalia symmetrical concealed
at rest by enlarges abdominal sternum. Which
may or may not bear a pair of styles.
• Cerci usually short and almost invariably un-
segmented.
• Specialised auditory and stridulatory organs
frequently developed.
•Metamorphosis is slight
 Suborder Caelifera VS suborder Ensifera
• Caelifera • Ensifera
• E.g.-short-horned • E.g.-long-horned grasshoppers
grasshoppers • consists of crickets and
• consists of grasshoppers katydids.
and locusts. • Members are characterized by
• All have jumping back fine and threadlike antennae
legs, antenna composed with well over 30 segments ,
of less than 30 stidulatory specializations of
segments, the forewings to make sounds
• Hearing organs, if in those groups that sing,
present, are abdominal’ Auditory organs (when
• An ovipositor in which present) on fore tibia.
there are four functional • Six-valved ovipositor .
valves.
 Order = Orthoptera

Suborder = Ensifera Suborder = Caelifera

Superfamily Gryllacrdoidea Tettigonioidea Grylloidea

Family = Stenopelmatidae Haglidae Gryllidae

Family = Gryllacrididae Tettigoniidae Gryllotalpidae

Family = Schizodactylidae

Family = Rhaphidophoridae
Suborder = Caelifera

Superfamily =Acridoidea Tridactyloidea

Family = Eumastacidae Family = Tridactylidae
Family = Pneumoridae Cylindrachetidae
Family = Pamphagidae
Family = Pyrgomorphidae
Family = Acrididae
Family = Proscopiidae
Family = Tetrigidae
 Suborder-Ensifera

Super families

Tettigonoidea Grylloidea
1. Tarsi 4 segmented 1. Tarsi 3 segmented
2. Ovipositor well developed 2. Ovipositor long slender
sclerotized, swordlike. Needlelike
3. Cerci short 3. Cerci long
Families
Tettigonidae Gryllidae
e.g. Long horned grasshopper e.g. Cricket
Scizodactilidae Gryllotalpidae
e.g. Scizodactylus spp. e.g. Mole cricket
Tettigonidae:
e.g. Longhorned grasshopper . These are called as katylids.
Antennae are longer than body’ The auditory and stridulatory
organs are well developed in males. The ovipositor is well
sclerotized and swordlike in females. The species
Coenocephalus indicus causes serious damage in tobacco.
Gryllidae:
e.g. Cricket .These insects posseses long ovipositor. Te crickets
are omnivorus. They lay eggs in soil. Few species of cricket are
indoor few are feeding on plants. The Brachypterus
achantinus is the pest of red gram in Bihar.
Gryllotalpidae:
e.g. Mole cricket . Hide in burrows. The tarsi of fore legs are
specially modified for digging and burrowing. The insects lack
stridulatory orgams. Auditoty organs are weakly developed.
Common species in our region is Gryllotapa gryllotapa.
 Sub-order- Caelifera
Super families
Acridoidea Tridactyloidea
1. Tarsi 3 segmented 1. Tarsi 1-2 segmented
2. Antenna short 2. Antenna less than 12
segments
3. Ovipositor short and 3. Hind wind wings are
very
inconspicuous. much enlarged
4. Stridulation femoro alary type

Families
Acrididae Tridactylidae
[Link] e.g. Pigmy mole cricket
Tetrigidae
[Link] locust
Family-Acrididae
1. The insects posses short antenna.
2. The insects posses strong jumping legs.
3. On the ventral side of the prosternum a spine like process
which is called as prosternal process is well exhibited in
short horned grasshopper.
4. The stridulation is femero alary type.
5. The tympanal organs are present on the first abdominal
segment.
6. Ovipositor is inconspicuous
7. Eggs are laid in soil by thrusting abdomen and eggs are
laid in masses which is called as egg pod.
8. Wing muscles are highly developed hence capacity to
migrate long distances.
There are three types of locust in India:
Bombay locust, Patanga succinata; Migratory locust,
Locusta migratoria; Desert locust, Scistocera
gregaria.
Stridulatory organs in Orthoptera
Alary: Found in males of Tettigonidae and Gryllidae.
The sound is produced by rubbing the scrapper off
left tegman against the file of the right tegman.
Femoro alary: Found in family acrididae. Sound is
produced by means of ridge bearing many small
peg like projections in the inner side of each hind
femur, which is rubbed against the harden radial
vein of close tegman. Thus causing the tegman to
vibrate and produce low buzzing sound.
 Grasshoppers &
Characteristic Crickets & Katydids
Locusts
Antennae short long
Auditory
Organs on the abdomen on the forelegs

Stridulation
rubbing the hind leg rubbing forewings
against the forewing together
Ovipositors short long, extended
Activity diurnal nocturnal

predatory,
Feeding
Habits herbivorous omnivorous, or
herbivorous
Dermaptera
• E.g.-Earwigs
• Habitat: They are
mostly nocturnal and
attracted towards light.
• During day time they
hide in soil, under bark
of trees and among
herbage.
• Most of the species are
omnivorous.
Characters:
[Link] insects are medium large sized with
brachypterous wings.
[Link] mouth parts are biting type.
[Link] fore wings are very short and devoid of veins.
The hind wings are semicircular, membranous and
radially veined.
[Link] 3 segmented.
[Link] unsegmented and modified into heavily
sclerotized forcep like structure.
[Link] reduced or absent.
[Link] is incomplete.
Suborder- Forficulina e.g. Earwig
Embioptera
• E.g.- Embids or web spinners
• Habitat:
• Soft bodied, fragile and
poor fliers.
• All are sombre colored,
either brown or yellowish
brown , with smoky wings.
• These insects generally
avoid day light and live
under the bark of tree or
stones.
Characters:
[Link] insects are gregarious and live in silken
tunnels under the bark of trees.
2. Mouth parts are biting type.
[Link] 3 segmented, 1st segment is highly
inflated and used to construct silken tunnels.
[Link] the pair of wings are similar.
[Link] two segmented.
[Link] cerci found in males.
[Link] are apterous.
[Link] is gradual in males and
absent in females.
Phasmida
• E.g. stick insect, leaf insect
• Habitat:
• Insects are large apterous or
winged. These insects are
elongated, cylindrical more
depressed.
• Prothorax is short, meso and
meta thorax are elongate.
Metathorax is closely
associated with 1st
abdominal segment.
• Legs are similar to each
other. Tarsi 5 segmented
4. Wing pads do not undergo reversal during
development.
5. Ovipositor is small and concealed by 8th abdominal
sternum.
6. Eggs deposited singly.
7. Metamorphosis is incomplete.
8. Insects are phytophagous.
Families
Phasmidae Philidae
[Link] insect e.g. Leaf insect
Generally apterous, Generally winged insects,
legs are similar legs have lateral
expansions.
Dictyoptera
• E.g. Cockroach, praying
mantid
• Habitat:
• The insects are terrestrial
occuring predominantly in
tropical and subtropical
regions.
• These insects do not fly well.
• Sometimes wings are
reduced or absent in
females.
Characters:
[Link] are medium to large size.
[Link] is filiform in mantid and cetaceous in
cockroach.
[Link] parts are biting type.
[Link] are similar in cockroach. Fore legs are
raptorial in mantid.
[Link] fore wings modified into tegmina.
[Link] is reduced and concealed by
enlarged 7th abdominal sternum.
[Link] many segmented.
[Link] are laid in ootheca.
 Dictyoptera
Sub-orders
Blattaria Mantoidea
e.g.-Cockroach e.g. Praying mantid
1. Prothorax is modified 1. Prothorax is elongate
into hood like structure and longer segment of
concealing head. body.
2. Ocelli when present 2. Ocelli present and 3 in
2 in number. number.
3. Body is oval and dorso 3. Body is elongate.
-ventrally compressed.
4. Colour is dark. 4. Colour is green and
vivid
5. They are omnivorous 5. They are carnivorous.
[Link] legs are developed 6. Fore legs modified in to
Isoptera
• Small sized insects with
polymorphism.
• Mouth parts are
ectognathus and biting type.
• Antenna is monoliform.
• Generally these insects are
photophobic.
• Their activities restricted in
earthen passages.
• The wing venation
archydictyon
• Tarsi 4-5 segmented.
•Metamorphosis is incomplete.
•The genital organs are rudimentary in both the sexes.

Castes of termite

Reproductive castes Sterile castes

Queen King Soldiers Workers

1. Queen: Develop from fertilized eggs. Much larger in size
and has creamy white abdomen marked with transverse
dark brown stripes. It live for 5 to 10 years and lay
thousands of eggs.
2. King: Developed from unfertilized eggs and slightly bigger
than workers. It is secondary wingless insect.
3. Soldiers: Developed from unfertilized. They have large
head and strongly chitinized sickle shaped mandibles.
4. Workers: Developed from fertilized eggs. They are white
yellowish. Head is wider than the reproductive castes.
Mandibles are stronger, meant for gnawing of food. They
avoid light and require high humidity for their survival.
Feeding behavior:
Termites feed on the cellulose and in addition they need fugal
spores. Workers bring fungal spores and establish fungal
gardens in the colony.
Nesting behavior:
Termite constructs the nests on the tree, on ground and in
soil.
Families:

1. Kalotermitidae: Tarsi 4 segmented. E.g. Kalotermus spp.

2. Termitidae: Tarsi 5 segmented. E.g. Odontotermus obesus