Lecture 1 Flashcards
what kingdom are insects in?
animalia
What phylum are insects in?
arthropoda
what are the features of arthropods? (6)
jointed legs
segmented bodies
external skeleton
ventral nerve cord
dorsal heart
bilateral symmetry
what class are insects in?
insecta
what classifies the organisms included in the insecta class?
include all the arthropod characteristics
&
3 body regions: head, thorax & abdomen
how many body regions does an insect have? & what are the body regions?
3
head, thorax & abdomen
what are the features of the head?
1 pair of antennae
include: eyes, mouth etc.
where are the antennae located on an insect?
head
what are the features of the thorax?
middle body part
3 pairs of legs
0-2 pairs of wings (in adults)
where are the legs located on an insect?
thorax
where are the wings located on an insect?
thorax
what are the features of the abdomen?
reproductive organs, digestive sys etc.
what are the ways that the mouthparts acquire nutrition?
chewing
sucking
sponging
or a combo
what type of organisms use their mouthparts for chewing?
grasshoppers
caterpillars
labrum
mouthpart for chewing - upper lip
mandibles
mouthpart for chewing - jaws & teeth (cut & chew)
labium
mouthpart for chewing - lower lip (back of mouth)
what are the mouthparts used for chewing in insects?
labrum
mandibles
labium
which parts of the mouth are used for keeping the food inside the mouth?
labrum & labium
what type of insect has long & coiled mouthparts for sucking?
butterflies
what type of insect has stiff mouthparts for sucking?
mosquito
what type of insects suck?
butterflies
mosquitos (& pierce)
bed bugs (& pierce)
aphids (& pierce)
what insects use sponging?
house flies, most common in flies
describe the process of sponging in insects?
funnel liquid into mouth - the fleshy parts fold back, scrape at the surface to acquire liquid
what is the common diet for insects that use sponging?
liquid
describe how horseflies acquire their food?
cut at the surface of the skin to have the blood come up & then sponge
cut & sponge
how to insects get through a membrane to acquire their food?
piercing & sucking
what type of insects cut & sponge for their food?
bees, horseflies
what type of insect have large mandibles?
bees
what type of insect has large & curved mandibles?
tiger beetles
compound eyes
2 large eyes
fixed focal length (lens’ doesn’t change, can’t focus)
sensitive to motion
shapes
colours
what type of light can compound eyes see?
UV & polarized
ommatidia
units & little pieces that make up the compound eyes
photoreceptor cells
how do ommatidia work?
all of the indiv lenses see the same image many times, but all of these images are processed at the same place –> the brain where it puts together 1 image
how do the compound eyes control light that they encounter?
with pigmentation - they don’t have an iris to control
what type of insects typically use pigmentation to control incoming light?
predatory insects ex: dragonflies
what insects have almost 360 vision?
dragonflies
what is significant about the compound eyes of a stalk eye fly?
eyes are very far apart
sexual characteristic (more spread out, the more attractive to the female)
simple eyes (ocelli)
usually more than 1
exist in combination with compound eyes
can detect the change in light intensity allowing insects to see shadows, movement etc.
role in orientation
can see colour & shape
what components of an insect are found on the head?
mouthparts
eyes
antennae
what is the role of antennae? (5)
motion
smell
balance - orientate themselves in space
touch - social, communication (recognize each other)
vibration (sound)
what is characteristic about male antennae?
feathery - enables them to smell females
what ornamentation do insects have on stubby antennae to increase SA?
lamellae (extensions)
from bottom to top, identify the parts of the antenna
bottom/base - scape
middle - pedicel
top/tip - flagellomere (can have multiple)
what insect has multiple flagellomeres?
queen bees
what are the 3 segments of the thorax?
prothorax
mesothorax
metathorax
describe the arrangement of the legs on an insect
1 pair of legs per segment on the thorax
each segment of the thorax has a pair of legs
what is the role of the thorax?
power center (locomotion)
what attaches to the thorax & how many pairs?
legs (1 pair per segment)
wings (0, 1 or 2 pairs)
where do the wings attach on the thorax?
mesothorax &/or metathorax
NEVER prothorax
spiracles
holes for respiration - air goes in, provides muscles with air
exist on each segment of the thorax
from the thorax to the end of the leg, list the parts of the leg
1 - coxa (thorax - leg)
2 - trochanter
3 - femur
4 - tibia
5 - tarsus
6-claw
coxa
leg - thorax
connects legs to the body
trochanter
leg joint
articulates coxa
connected to the femur
femur
long part of the leg
tarsus
foot part
claw
end of the foot part
all insects end with a claw
what are the modifications of the legs of insects? (7)
swimming - water beetle
catch - praying mantis
digging - mole crickets, live in the ground & make tunnels
speed - long & specialized for running
jumping - grasshoppers & flees
gliding (on water) - unable to walk on land, ex: water striders
ears on legs - tympanum, ex: Tettigoniidae (bush crickets)
tympanum
ears
how do the wings of insects vary?
number of pairs
connected or disconnected etc.
sometimes no wings at all
what insects have coloured scales on their wings?
butterflies & moths
describe the wings of beetles
hard wings on top & flexible wings underneath for flying
the hard ones open up when flying
what does the abdomen contain externally? (5)
spiracles - air
ovipositors/copulatory structures - deposit eggs
setae (hairs)
cerci - appendages
ears (tympanum)
what does the abdomen contain internally? (3)
reproductive organs
digestion & excretion
food reserves - fat body (store food & E)
describe the abdomen of a wasp
elongated
describe the abdomen of a dragonfly
long