Insect Diversity

Question 1

What is the collective name for primitive insects and the name for all other insects?

Answer 1

Primitive - apterygota
- no wings
- small, can be numerous
- ametabolism, no change during metamorphosis 
Other - Pterygota
- possess wings
- 2 major divisions

Question 2

What are the 2 divisions of Pterygota?

Answer 2

Exopterygota - developing wing buds visible at each instar
- exhibit incomplete metamorphosis
- hemimetaboulous (3 distinct life stages)
Endopterygota - higher insects
- developing wing buds only visible at adult stage
- holometabolous (4 distinct life stages)

Question 3

What are the 5 sub-classes of insects?

Answer 3

Apterygota - no wings, ametabolous
Paleoptera - wings don’t fold, chewing mouthparts, hemimetaboulous
Polyneoptera - wings can be folded, leathery forewing, chewing mouthparts, hemimetaboulous
Paraneoptera - wings hemelyta and membranous, piercing sucking mouthparts, hemimetaboulous
Endoptera - higher insects, wings variable, mouthparts variable, holometabolous

Question 4

Name the 5 orders of apterygota

Answer 4

Procure (coneheads)
Collembola (springtails)
Diplura 
Archegonia (bristletails)
Thysanura (silverfish)

Question 5

Name the 2 orders of Paleoptera

Answer 5

Ephemeroptera (mayflies)

Odonata (dragonflies)

Question 6

Name the 11 orders of Polyneoptera

Answer 6

Orthoptera (grasshopper)
Phasmotodea (stick insect)
Grylloblattodea (rock crawlers) 
Dermaptera (earwigs)
Embioptera (web spinners)
Isoptera (termites)
Blattodea (cockroaches)
Mantodea (mantis)
Mantophasmatidae (gladiators)
Zoraptera
Plecoptera (stoneflies)

Question 7

Name the 4 orders of Paraneoptera

Answer 7

Phthiraptera (lice)
Thysanoptera (thrips)
Hemiptera (true bugs)
Psocoptera (Booklice)

Question 8

Name the 11 orders of Endopterygota

Answer 8

Coleoptera (beetles)
Strepsiptera (twisted wing parasites)
Neuroptera (lacewings)
Megaloptera (alderfly)
Raphidioptera (snakefly)
Hymenoptera (bees/wasps/ants)
Trichoptera (caddisfly) 
Lepidoptera (butterflies/moths)
Mescoptera (scorpionfly) 
Siphonaptera (fleas)
Diptera (fly)

Question 9

What are the defining characteristics of insects?

Answer 9

Six legs
3 parted body
Compound eye 
Exoskeleton: moults
Exotherms
Trachae/spiracles 
Oviparous
Metamorphosis