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Invertebrates MTI > Insects III > Flashcards

Insects III Flashcards

1
Q

How does classification of extant hexapod work?

A

Not all hexapods are insects, and only pterygotan insects have wings - although wings can be lost

Full metamorphosis is present in a subset of pterygotans

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2
Q

What are the big four insect orders?

A

Hymenoptera - bees, wasps, sawflies, ants
Coleoptera - beetles
Lepidoptera - moths and butterflies
Diptera - flies and mosquitoes

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3
Q

What are the two groups of hexapods?

A

`Entognathans - coneheads, springtails, diplurans

Insects - (class insecta - ectognatha) - remaining hexapod diversity

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4
Q

What are features of the entognatha?

name the three orders and
4 features

A

Coneheads, springtails, dipluran

concealed mouthparts
ametabolous development
eyes reduced/lacking
generally live in soil or litter

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5
Q

Talk about coneheads - protura

A

600 species in soil, litter, moss, rotting woods, small to v small

biology unknown - some feed on fungal mycorrhizae
first pair of legs directed forward and acting as antennae - sensory
eyes and antennae lacking

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6
Q

Talk about springtails - collembolan

Draw and label a springtail!

A

9000 species, soil-inhabitants, usually small (2-3mm some up to 12mm)
they have the accolade of being the most diverse non insect hexapods, ecologically important and can reach v high densities in the soil
scavengers, prefers, herbivores
FURCA - springing organ for escaping, retracted under the abdomen when at rest
Eyes reduced or lacking, reduced number o abdominal segments

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7
Q

Talk about diplurans - diplura

A

1000 species, soil or litter inhabitants 2-5mm
Omnivores, predators, or scavengers
Multisegmented or forceps like cerci (sharps bit at the end) (convergence with earwigs)

No eyes

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8
Q

What are the two Insecta groups?

A

Insecta have exposed mouthparts

Apterygotans - subclass Apterygota
Bristletails, silverfish

Pterygotans - pterygota
Remaining insect diversity

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9
Q

Name 2 features of apterygota and the 2 orders of apterygota

A

Lack wings in adult stage
ametabolous development

bristletails and silverfish

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10
Q

Talk about bristletails (Archaegnatha)

Draw and label a bristletail

A

Oldest living insects - wow!

500 species in diverse habitats - 6-25mm

Herbivores (algae, lichens) and scavengers (dead plant material, carrion)

Laterally flattened bodies, monocondylic mandibles (this means it has one point of rotation), large contiguous compound eyes, jumping behaviour (sudden flexion of the abs)

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11
Q

Talk about silverfish

A

120 species in diverse habitats, 5-30mm

Omnivorous, some herbivores

Dorsoventrally flattened body, dicondylic mandibles, compound eyes reduced or absent NOT contiguous, no jumping behaviour

The mandible has two points of rotation (unlike that of bristletails) - fixed conditions for pterygotans

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12
Q

What are the four monophyletic pterygotan lineages?

A

Two pairs of wings in adult stage

Paleoptera

Polyneoptera
Paranoptera - these two are known as exopterygota

Holometabola (only one with holometabolous development, rest are hemimetabolous )

Aka endopterygota

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13
Q

Talk about the defining feature of paleoptera and name the two orders

A

Wings do not fold flat over the abdomen at rest (they are either folded flat to each other or not folded at all)

Mayflies - Ephemeroptera
Dragonflies - odonata

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14
Q

Talk about mayflies please - Ephemeroptera

A

Oldest living winged insects
3000 species in clean freshwater environments, 2-15cm (med-large)
Nymphs - aquatic, herbivores, detritivores, or predators, respiratory gills present

Adults - aphagous (do not feed) only live a few days, smaller hind wings

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15
Q

Talk about dragonflies - odonata

A

5500 species in diverse habitats, 2-15cm

Nymphs in aquatic freshwater, predators that hunt with labial mask,

adults- predators, large eyes, tubular abdomens, characteristic mating heart position

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16
Q

What is the defining feature of polyneoptera and name the 10 orders….

A

Expansion of the posterior region in the hind wing by additional of numerous anal veins - the anal lobe

Angel insects
Earwings
Stoneflies
Grasshoppers
Heel walkers
Rock/ice crawlers
Webspinners
Stick and leaf insects
Mantises
Cockroaches
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17
Q

Talk about angel insects please - Zoraptera

A

30 species, namely tropical, litter or rotting wood, small <4mm
Live in colonies, fungivores or predatory

Two forms of adults: blind and wingless, eyed and alate (has wings)

Paddle shaped wings with reduced venation

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18
Q

Earwings - dermaptera

Draw earwings!

A

2000 species near rivers, litter, under bark, small to medium sized 4-25 mm
Mostly non-flying and nocturnal, mostly detritivores, also predators and herbivores

forewing modified in short tegmina that protect highly folded fan shaped hind wings
Forceps-like cercus for defence, offence, mating

19
Q

Stoneflies - plecoptera

A

3000 species, 5-50mm
Nymphs, normally aquatic (freshwater), diverse feeding habits
Adults - detritivores or aphagous

20
Q

Grasshoppers, crickets, and their kin - Orthoptera

and talk about the process of sound production (begins with s) and how this is achieved differently in grasshoppers and crickets

A

most diverse polyneopteran lineage - 23,000 species in diverse habitats,
2 groups:1) grasshoppers and their kin - herbivores
2) crickets and their kin - predators, herbivores, omnivores

Hind legs adapted to jump. OVIPOSTOR in females

Forewings form hardened tegmina. Fan-like hind wings
Stridulation - sound production by friction leg-wing (grasshoppers) or wing-wing (crickets)

21
Q

Heel walkers - mantophasmatodea

A

Most recently discovered insect order - 15 species from afria, 1-2.5cm
Predators living in ground or on vegetation
Apterous, eyes, large, arolium very larg, fore and mid legs raptorial (adapted for seizing prey)

22
Q

Rock and ice crawlers - grylloblattodea

where are the cool places they are well-adapted for? (clue in name)

A

25 species in North america and Asia, 2-3.5cm
Scavengers or omnivorous
Well-adapted to cold environments - typically live on ice or snow, caves, alpine soil

Apterous, eyes reduced or absent

23
Q

Webspinners - embioptera

Describe what is special about webspinners (clue is in the name!)

A

300 species in litter, under rocks, tree trunks, 2-3.5cm
Detritivores
Live gregariously in silken galleries spun with silk glands present in enlarged foretarsi
Females apterous, males losing wings after dispersal (dehiscent), non-sclerotised wing veins

enlarged foretarsus with silk glands!
Non-sclerotised wing veins

24
Q

Stick and leaf insects - phasmatodea

what can they do as a defence strategy and what is this called? (begins with a)

A

3000 species, more diverse in tropics, 3055cm
Phytophagous - feed on plants
Usually cryptic, stick like (elongate, cylindrical), or flattened and often leaf like

Apterous or reduced wings, forewing hardened as tegmina, fan-shaped hind wings,

legs can be shed as defence and regrown in subsequent molts (autotomy)

25
Q

Mantises - mantodea

what is their strategy that allows them to be ambush predators?

A

2000 species, mostly tropical, 1-15cm

ambush predators, aggressive crypts is frequent (looking like dead leaves, flowers etc)

Triangular head with separated large eyes, wings reduced or lacking, forewing hardened as tegmina, fan-shaped hind wings, raptorial forelegs (adapted to catch prey)

Sexual cannibalism frequent

26
Q

Cockroaches- blattodea

what is the name of the case eggs are laid in

A

3,500 species, mostly in tropical forests, 3-100mm
Polyphagous - able to feed on various kinds of food

shield like pronotum, forewing hardened as tegmina, fan-shaped hind wings
eggs laid in single protective case called ootheca

27
Q

Termites - blattodea : Isoptera

A

2500 species, 20mm, large queens
Eusocial, castes, reproductives (alate, queen, king), workers, and soldiers(both m and f)

feed on cellulose-rich material (wood), symbiosis with bacteria and protozoa
tremendous ecological impact - produce 2-5% of global methane
nests within wood or above ground (earth mounds)
similar fore and hindwing that are shed after dispersing in alate reproductives

workers and soldiers don’t have wings I think

28
Q

What are the three orders of paraneoptera

A

Booklice and barklice - including true lice - Psocodea

Thrips - Thysanoptera

True bugs - Hemiptera

29
Q

Booklice and barklice

A

4000 species, 1-10mm
Detritivores or scavengers
Some are gregarious
Frequently apterous, wide heads, bulging post-clypeus, wings held roof-like at rest

30
Q

True lice

A 
5000 species, 0.5-5mm
Obligate ectoparasites (mammals, birds), no free-living forms, disease vectors (e.g typhus)
Two types: 1)chewing lice: mandibulate, feed on shed remains 2)sucking lice - beak-like mouthparts, feed on blood, well developed claws to host attachment

Dorsoventrally flattened, eyes lacking or reduced

31
Q

Thrips - Thysanoptera

A

6000 species, 0.5-15mm, feed on plant or fungal fluids using cone-like piercing sucking mouthparts, a few predatory
Cases of sociality (up to eusociality), and pollination present
Narrow bodies, strap like wings with a fringe of setae, pretarsal bladders (surface adhesion)

32
Q

True bugs - hemiptera

A

most diverse non-holometabolans 90,000 species , 1mm-15cm

4 groups
Aphids and scale insects 
cicadas/leafhoppers/treehopers
Moss bugs
Bugs

Piercing and sucking stylets, phytophagous
predators, scavengers, blood-feeding

33
Q

Holometabola = endopterygota

A

Complete metamorphosis
soft-bodied, wingless, morophologically reduced larval stage, and mostly inactive pupal stage

85% of hexapod diversity , most diverse group of organisms

34
Q

What are the three main holometabolan lineages

A

Hymenoptera

Neuropterida (lacewings, snake flies and kin), Strepsiptera (twisted wing parasites), Coleoptera

Mecoptera (scorpion flies), Siphonaptera (fleas), Diptera (flies and mosquitoes)
Trichoptera (caddisflies), Lepidoptera

35
Q

Hymenoptera - sawflies, wasps, and ants

A

Hyperdiverse!! 150,000 species, 0.15mm-12cm
generally mandibulate, can bear proboscides, mostly phytophagous, predatory

some are parasitoids - development of larvae kills the host
Haplodiploidy -

2 subgroups are :
Sawflies - lack petiole ( a slender stalk between two structures - esp. between abdomen and thorax), larvae with legs

Wasps, ants, bees - petiole (“waist” 1st abdominal segment fused to the thorax, some with sting (modified ovipostor), larvae lack legs

Eusociality evolved multiple times, extremely important group ecological and economically

36
Q

Neuropterida: lacewings, snake flies, and their kin

A

over 6000 species, usually predatory, small to large 2mm-8cm
3 subgroup:
1) lacewings, larvae aquatic or terrestrial, but all specialised predators
2) Snakeflies - elongated “neck” prothorax, and ovipositor
3) Alderflies some have large “fangs”

mandibulate, dense wing venation

37
Q

Twisted wing parasites - strepsiptera

A

500 species worldwide, up to 3mm

Larvae and females endoparasitic, male free-living (extreme sexual dimorphism)

Female are larva-like, extremely simplified (wingless, usually v reduced mobility)

Males with branched antennae, reduced fore wings, broadened hind wings

38
Q

Beetles - Coleoptera

A

Hyperdiverse, most diverse insect order
400,000 species (25% of all animals!)

usually mandibulate, diverse feeding habits, 05mm-15cm
Elyra - hardened forewings that protect the usually functional hind wings, can be reduced.

4 subgroups:

1) Archostemata
2) Myxophaga
3) Adephaga
4) Polyphaga - 80% of all beetle species

v important in general

examples of beetles,
dung beetles, firefly, rove beetles, skiff beetles longhorn beetle, ground beetle, weebvil

39
Q

Scorpionflies - mecoptera

spiders dont like this lot

A

600 species, 2-35mm
Rostrum - elongated mouthparts with mandibles at the end - siphoning and chewing
usually scavengers, occasionally feed on pollen and nectar, some predaceous
some steal prey captured by spiders - kleptoparasitism

e.g. snow scorpionfly, hanging fly, cockroach-like scorpionfly,

40
Q

Fleas - Siphonaptera

A

2500 species worldwide, up to 3mm
Ectoparasites, piercing-sucking mouthparts, blood feeding, vectors of disease eg plague
laterally compressed
antennae reduced and recessed inside grooves, eyes reduced, ctenidia (modified setae for anchoring), apterous, legs specialised for jumping
larva free-living

41
Q

Flies and mosquitoes - dipetera

A

125000 species, diverse feeding habits, 1-80mm
Mosquitoes - elongated antennae, great vectors of disease

Flies - short antennae

one pair of forewings only, hind wings transformed into HALTERES for flight control
extremely important

crane fly, moth fly, gall midge, bat fly, robber fly

42
Q

Caddisflies

A

14,500 species in rivers and lakes worldwide, 1-60mm
larvae aquatic, most construct protective cases using silk and diverse exogenous materials (e.g. wood and leaf fragments, stones),
detritivores, some predators

adults- aphagous / liquid feeders, mouthparts form a tube -HAUSTELLUM, wings highly haired

e.g.

43
Q

Moths and butterflies - lepidoptera

A

180,000 species , mostly feed on nectar, 4mm-30cm
Butterflies - diurnal , vision, bright colours, mace-like antennae

moths - nocturnal, dim colours, rely on pheromones, branched antennae

Proboscis - a few have mandibles, scales covering the body esp wings

importatn group

Invertebrates MTI (6 decks)

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