Download Insect taxonomic diversity

INSECT TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY
By: Heather Brooks
09/11/14
INSECT ORDERS
Ephemeroptera
Coleoptera
Odonata
Lepidoptera
Blattaria
Diptera
Isoptera
Siphonoptera
Dermatptera
Hymenoptera
Orthoperta
Mantodea
Phasmida
Plecoptera
Hemiptera
ODONATA
ODONATA IS AN ORDER OF CARNIVOROUS INSECTS, ENCOMPASSING DRAGONFLIES
AND DAMSELFLIES. THE WORD DRAGONFLY IS ALSO SOMETIMES USED TO REFER TO
ALL ODONATA, BUT ODONATE IS A MORE CORRECT ENGLISH NAME FOR THE GROUP
AS A WHOLE. ODONATES HAVE LARGE EYES WITH TEN THOUSAND TO THIRTY
THOUSAND INDIVIDUAL LENSES IN EACH EYE.
EPHEMEROPTERA
MAYFLIES OR SHADFLIES ARE INSECTS BELONGING TO THE ORDER EPHEMEROPTERA.
THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED INTO AN ANCIENT GROUP OF INSECTS TERMED THE
PALAEOPTERA, WHICH ALSO CONTAINS DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES. THEIR
WINGS ARE LESS THAN 1 MM LONG.
They have long antennae, and at the end of the abdomen are two short antennae-like structures that sense air current a
BLATTARIA
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattodea, sometimes also called
Blattaria, of which about 30 species out of 4,600 total are associated
with human habitats. About four species are well known as pests. They
have long antennae, and at the end of the abdomen are two short
antennae-like structures that sense air current and vibrations.
ISOPTERA
TERMITES ARE A GROUP OF EUSOCIAL INSECTS THAT, UNTIL RECENTLY, WERE
CLASSIFIED AT THE TAXONOMIC RANK OF ORDER ISOPTERA, BUT ARE NOW
ACCEPTED AS THE INFRAORDER ISOPTERA, OF THE COCKROACH ORDER BLATTODEA.
THE FOREWINGS AND HINDWINGS ARE EQUAL IN LENGTH AND HELD FLAT AGAINST
THE BACK OF THE TERMITE.
DERMATPTERA
EARWIGS MAKE UP THE INSECT ORDER DERMAPTERA AND ARE FOUND
THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS, AFRICA, EURASIA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW
ZEALAND. WITH ABOUT 2,000 SPECIES IN 12 FAMILIES, THEY ARE ONE OF
THE SMALLER INSECT ORDERS. THEY ARE LONG, SLENDER, FLATTENED
INSECTS THAT COME IN VARIOUS SHADES OF BROWN OR BLACK.
ORTHOPTERA
ORTHOPTERA IS AN ORDER OF INSECTS WITH PAUROMETABOLOUS
OR INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS, INCLUDING THE GRASSHOPPERS,
CRICKETS, CAVE CRICKETS, JERUSALEM CRICKETS, KATYDIDS, WETA,
LUBBER, ACRIDA, AND LOCUSTS. MOST ORTHOPTERANS ARE
MEDIUM TO LARGE IN SIZE, RANGING IN LENGTH FROM 0.4 TO
3.9.
PHASMIDA
THE PHASMATODEA ARE AN ORDER OF INSECTS, WHOSE MEMBERS
ARE VARIOUSLY KNOWN AS STICK INSECTS, WALKING STICKS OR
STICK-BUGS, PHASMIDS, GHOST INSECTS AND LEAF INSECTS. MOST
PHASMIDS ARE LONG, SMOOTH BODIED, AND ARE COLORED GREEN
OR BROWN TO BETTER MATCH THE SURROUNDING VEGETATION.
HEMIPTERA
HEMIPTERA IS AN ORDER OF INSECTS MOST OFTEN KNOWN AS THE
TRUE BUGS, COMPRISING AROUND 50,000–80,000 SPECIES OF
CICADAS, APHIDS, PLANTHOPPERS, LEAFHOPPERS, SHIELD BUGS,
AND OTHERS. HEMIPTERANS ARE EXTREMELY VARIABLE IN FORM,
RANGING FROM LONG, SLENDER, AND STICKLIKE, TO SHORT AND
ROUND, TO VERY FLAT.
COLEOPTERAN
THE COLEOPTERA ORDER OF INSECTS IS COMMONLY CALLED
BEETLES. THEY ARE COVERED WITH A LEATHERY SKIN.
LEPIDOPTERA
LEPIDOPTERA IS A LARGE ORDER OF INSECTS THAT INCLUDES
MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. THEIR BODIES ARE LONG AND SLENDER
OR PLUMP AND ARE EITHER BRIGHTLY OR DRABLY COLORED.
DIPTERA
TRUE FLIES ARE INSECTS OF THE ORDER DIPTERA. ADULT
DIPTERANS HAVE LARGE COMPOUND EYES, OR EYES WITH MULTIPLE
LENSES, THAT OFTEN MEET OVER THE TOP OF THE HEAD IN MALES
BUT ARE USUALLY SEPARATED IN FEMALES.
SIPHONOPTERA
FLEAS ARE THE INSECTS FORMING THE ORDER SIPHONAPTERA.
THEY ARE WINGLESS, WITH MOUTHPARTS ADAPTED FOR PIERCING
SKIN AND SUCKING BLOOD