Module 01: Intro to Insects and Their Terrestrial Relatives Flashcards

1
Q

What are the characteristics of vertebrates?

A

internal endoskeletons
spinal column made of vertebrae which provides support and allows them to be big

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2
Q

what are the characteristics of intertebrates?

A

supported by structures outside their bodies
some have hard outer exoskeletons

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3
Q

What are arthropods?

A

organisms with jointed feet or appendages (like antennae, mouth parts, reproductive organs)
(arthron- means joint, -podos means foot)
includes crabs, spiders, scorpions, insects, etc.

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4
Q

How many known species of arthropods are there? What percentage of names species are they?

A

1.2 million known species
60% of all named organisms

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5
Q

What five characteristics make up the common body plan of arthropods?

A

bilateral symmetry
segmented body
ventral nerve cord
dorsal blood vessel
exoskeleton

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6
Q

What is bilateral symmetry? How does it compare to radial symmetry?

A

characteristic of arthropods
symmetry only along the anterior posterior axis
organisms with radial symmetry can be divided into 2 similar halves by any plane passing through their center

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7
Q

What are the three axis that are important to know when studying the morphology of organisms with bilateral symmetry?

A

anterior posterior axis - front to back
dorsal ventral axis - top to bottom
lateral axis - side to side

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8
Q

How does the ventral nerve cord of arthropods differ from those of vertebrates?

A

vertebrates have dorsal nerve cords
arthropods’ nerve cords are not protected by a spinal column

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9
Q

How does the open circulatory system of arthropods differ from those of vertebrates?

A

arthropods do not have a network of blood vessels, just a large dorsal blood vessel with openings on either end

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10
Q

What are the two main parts of the exoskeleton?

A

cuticle and epidermis

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11
Q

What are the parts of the cuticle?

A

waxy epicuticle
exocuticle
endocuticle

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12
Q

How is the exoskeleton both hard and flexible to allow movement?

A

exocuticle is hardened
endocuticle is unhardened, pliable, and stretchy
cuticle is selectively hardened

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13
Q

What is the purpose of the waxy epicuticle?

A

prevents water loss + acts as barrier against disease causing pathogens

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14
Q

What is the process by which the exocuticle is hardened?

A

tanning
process by which proteins are crosslinked in sclerotization
can also be caused by mineralization + calcification

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15
Q

What are tagmata?

A

fused regions of an arthropod’s segmented body which have specific functions

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16
Q

What differentiates the cuticle and epidermis?

A

cuticle is external nonliving structure
epidermis is a living cellular layer that secretes the cuticle

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17
Q

What is the cuticle made of?

A

chitin + protein

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18
Q

What is the basement membrane?

A

thin tissue separating epidermis from body cavity

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19
Q

What are three purposes of the exoskeleton in general?

A

protection
support for internal organs
internal ridges provide spots for muscle attachment

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20
Q

What is the major disadvantage of exoskeletons? What process does this disadvantage require to take place?

A

limits growth
means that arthropods need to molt (shed old exoskeleton and replace it with a new one)

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21
Q

What is step 1 of the molting process?

A

apolysis
old cuticle separates from epidermis
ecdysteroid molting hormones from prothoracic glands cause epidermal cells to replicate

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22
Q

What is apolysis?

A

process by which old cuticle separates from epidermis in molting
ecdysteroid molting hormones from prothoracic glands cause epidermal cells to replicate

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23
Q

What is the purpose of ecdysteroid molting hormones? Where do they come from?

A

cause apolysis
come from prothoracic glands

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24
Q

What is step 2 of the molting process?

A

digestive fluids flow between cuticle and epidermis and break down endocuticle into metabolites which are absorbed by epidermis

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25
Q

What is step 3 of the molting process?

A

epidermal cells secrete new cuticle

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26
Q

What is step 4 of the molting process?

A

ecdysis - old cuticle is cast off

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27
Q

What is ecdysis?

A

process in molting by which old cuticle is cast off

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28
Q

What does the arthropod do while its cuticle is soft after molting?

A

contracts muscles + swallows air or water to increase internal fluid pressure and body volume -> stretch the cuticle to allow for growth

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29
Q

when did the first arthropods appear in the fossil record?

A

cambrian period
520+ million years ago

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30
Q

What are trilobites?

A

dominant arthropod group in camprian through permian periods
spine exoskeletons for defense
lived in marine environments

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31
Q

When did the earliest terrestrial fossils appear in the fossil record? what is notable about them?

A

silurian period (440-420 million years ago)
they were arthropods!

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32
Q

Why were arthropods well suited to be the first species to become terrestrial?

A

stiff exoskeletons and jointed appendages provide support against gravity, protection from drying out, and a good means of movement

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33
Q

how old is the oldest insect fossil?

A

400 million years

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34
Q

in what two forms are insect fossils found?

A

imprints in rock
encased in amber

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35
Q

what is phylogeny?

A

evolutionary history of related organisms

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36
Q

what is taxonomy?

A

classification system used to define, name, and group organisms

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37
Q

rank the taxonomic categories in order of increasing specificity

A

domain
kingdom
phylum
class
order
family
genus
species

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38
Q

What are four subphylums of the phylum arthropoda?

A

Chelicerata
Myriapoda
crustacea
hexapoda

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39
Q

what is the kingdom, phylum, and subphylum of insects?

A

kingdom = animalia
phylum = arthropoda
subplylum = hexapoda

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40
Q

What are some examples of species belonging to the subphylum cheicerata?

A

horseshoe crabs
scorpions
spiders
ticks
mites
(very diverse ecological roles!)

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41
Q

What are some examples of species belonging to the subphylum myriapoda?

A

millipedes
centipedes

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42
Q

What are some examples of species belonging to the subphylum crustacea?

A

crabs, lobsters, some isopods

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43
Q

What are some examples of species belonging to the subphylum hexapoda?

A

includes insects!!

44
Q

what is pancrustacea?

A

includes crustacea and hexapoda
implies that they have a closer evolutionary relationship than the other subphylums of the arthropoda phylum

45
Q

how many tagmata do chelicerata have?

A

2

46
Q

how many tagmata do myriapoda have?

A

2

47
Q

how many tagmata do hexapoda have?

A

3

48
Q

How many pairs of legs do chelicerata have?

A

4

49
Q

How many pairs of legs do myriapoda have?

A

8+

50
Q

How many pairs of legs do hexapoda have?

A

3

51
Q

how many pairs of antennae do chelicerata have?

A

0

52
Q

how many pairs of antennae do myriapoda have?

A

1

53
Q

how many pairs of antennae do hexapoda have?

A

1

54
Q

do chelicerata have wings?

A

no

55
Q

do myriapoda have wings?

A

no

56
Q

do hexapoda have wings?

A

only insects can have winds

57
Q

what are the tagmata of chelicerata?

A

cephalothorax
abdomen

58
Q

what are the tagmata of myriapoda?

A

head
trunk

59
Q

what are the tagmata of hexapoda?

A

head
thorax
abdomen

60
Q

What differentiates non-insect hexapods and insects?

A

non-insect hexapods have enthognathous mouthparts
insects have extognathous mouthparts

61
Q

what are enthognathous mouthparts

A

lie in a cavity within the hear
non-insect hexapods have them

62
Q

what are ectognathous mouthparts?

A

external to head, not enclosed
insects have them

63
Q

why are modern day insects smaller than those in the past?

A

restricted by lower oxygen content in atmosphere
in order for gas to be properly distributed by tracheal system, tubes must be smaller overall so insect must be smaller

64
Q

describe the tracheal system

A

air enters an insect’s body through tiny tubes called trachea which branch off into smaller tubes called tracheoles

65
Q

name 6 benefits of a small body size

A
  1. minimizes resource requirements
  2. allows use of microhabitats
  3. rapid evolution due to short generation times
  4. ability to absorb heat quickly
  5. muscular action is efficient
  6. can take advantage of passive dispersal
66
Q

name 3 cons of a small body size

A
  1. increased risk of being eaten
  2. increased vulnerability to damage from natural sources
  3. increased risk of water loss from evaporation
67
Q

how is the ratio between insects’ surface area and volume both a pro and a con for their small body size

A

large surface area to volume ratio
+ can absorb heat quickly
- increased risk of water loss

68
Q

How do insects sense their environment under a hard exoskeleton?

A

sensilla are used to perceive environment and transmit signals to central nervous system

69
Q

what is the purpose of metamorphosis?

A

allows specialization at different life stages
(juveniles focus on feeding and growing, adults focus on dispersing and reproducing)

70
Q

What does it mean when an insect is ametabolous?

A

doesn’t undergo metamorphosis
juveniles are just smaller adults without functional reproductive structures

71
Q

What other characteristic do all ametabolous insects share?

A

apterygotes (have no wings)

72
Q

What is an apterygote?

A

insect with no wings
also ametabolous - no metamorphosis

73
Q

What are the juveniles of insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis called?

A

nymphs

74
Q

what is a hemimetabolic insect?

A

go through incomplete metamorphosis

75
Q

what other characteristic to all hemimetabolic insects share?

A

exopterygotes - winds develop externally in juvenile stages

76
Q

what is an exopterygote?

A

insect whose wings develop internally in juvenile stages
also hemimetabolic - incomplete metamorphosis

77
Q

What is a holometabolic insect?

A

undergoes complete metamorphosis

78
Q

what is a pupa?

A

dormant transitional phase between juvenile and adult forms for holometabolic insects

79
Q

what is a cocoon

A

hard case that a juvenile is inside for the pupa stage of some holometabolic insects

80
Q

what is a puparium

A

pupa that develops within exoskeleton and is hard

81
Q

what is eclosion

A

process by which the adult holometabolous insect emerges from the pupa
also process by which a larva hatches from an egg

82
Q

what are juveniles of holometabolic insects called?

A

larvae

83
Q

what is an endopterygote

A

wing development occurs inside body from imaginal discs

84
Q

what other characteristic to all holometabolic insects share?

A

endopterygotes - wing development occurs inside body from cells called imaginal discs

85
Q

what is the juvenile hormone?

A

hormone that inhibits development of adult characteristics

86
Q

how do levels of the juvenile hormone before transitioning to the adult stage differ in holometabolous and hemimetabolous insects?

A

holometabolous - before molting into pupal stage, levels of JH are reduced
hemimetabolous - before molting into an adult, JH is completely absent

87
Q

What is the alternative function of the juvenile hormone?

A

also helps with reproduction in adult females

88
Q

what is diapause

A

similar to hibernation
developmental process is slowed by unfavorable conditions
development/reproduction stops, metabolisim slows down
started and ended by specific conditions

89
Q

what are the benefits of flight?

A

improves access to resources and mates

90
Q

how does the use of flight impact insects’ need for sensory perception?

A

flight -> high mobility -> need advanced sensory perception to interpret environment while in motion

91
Q

what four characteristics of insects cause their success?

A

small size
metamorphosis
dispersal (flight)
reproductive capabilities

92
Q

what is insecta

A

class within hexapoda which all insects are in

93
Q

what major orders undergo incomplete metamorphosis

A

odonata
blattodea
orthoptera
hemiptera

94
Q

describe odonata

A

contains dragonflies and damselflies
incomplete metamorphosis
one of oldest orders
long abdomens, small antennae, large eyes, four wings that can’t be folded flat over abdomen
juveniles are called naiads and are aquatic / semi-aquatic

95
Q

what are naiads

A

juveniles of odonata order
aquatic or semi-aquatic

96
Q

describe blattodea

A

cockroaches and termites
incomplete metamorphosis
many species have symbiotic relationships with microbes in their guts -> can eat a lot of things
termites are eusocial - highest level of colonial organization
cockroaches:
long thin legs for funning
dorsoventrally flattened
leathery protective forewings
can fold wings flat over body
hide in daytime + feed at night
termites:
important for nutrient cycling in environment

97
Q

describe orthoptera

A

grasshoppers, crickets, katydids
incomplete metamorphosis
juveniles closely resemble adults
leathery protective forewings
well developed thorax with flight muscles
hind legs modified for jumping
elaborate courtship behaviors

98
Q

describe hemiptera

A

true bugs and their relatives
incomplete metamorphosis
hemiptera means half wing - some species have half-hardened forewings
piercing-sucking mouthparts
important agricultural/medical pests

99
Q

what major insect orders undergo complete metamorphosis

A

coleoptera
hymenoptera
diptera
lepidoptera

100
Q

describe coleoptera

A

beetles
complete metamorphosis
have elytra - hardened forewings that protect hind wings mostly used for flight
species that eat decaying material closely associated with host plants
species that eat fungi help it move from plant to plant
commonly predators
some are important agricultural and forest pests, others help control weed and pest insect populations

101
Q

what are elytra

A

sclerotized forewings that protect hind wings which are mostly used for flight
(sclerotized - hardened by conversion into sclerotin)
had by coleoptera (beetles)

102
Q

describe hymenoptera

A

ants, wasps, bees, sawflies
complete metamorphosis
sex determined by number of sets of chromosomes (haplodiploidy)
many exhibit well developed social behavior
can have defense mechanisms - stingers, spraying defensive chemicals

103
Q

describe diptera

A

true flies
complete metamorphosis
have only one pair of membranous wings as adults
- hind wings are modified into halteres - act as gyroscopes to guide flight
species with carrion feeding larvae help cycle nutrients
adults eat mainly liquids
can be important pollinators or disease spreaders
can be important agricultural pests as larvae

104
Q

what are halteres

A

found in diptera (true flies)
hind wings are modified into these structures, which act as gyroscopes to guide flight

105
Q

describe lepidoptera

A

moths and butterflies
complete metamorphosis
diversified along with flowering plants
wings covered by scales, which are modified flattened hairs
mostly feed with a proboscis which allows them to pump up liquid and coils up under head when not feeding
can be important pollinators
can be considered agricultural, horticultural, forest pests as larvae

106
Q

what is a proboscis??

A

structure on lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
used to pump up liquids
coils up under head when not feeding