Download Insect Classification

Insect Classification
• Insects are members of the Phylum
Arthropoda (jointed foot)
• Five important extant Classes of Arthropods
are arachnids, chilopods, diplopods,
crustaceans and hexapods or insecta (six feet).
• The insecta class is then divided into orders,
families, genera, and species
All arthropods possess :
• Exoskeleton - a hard protective covering
around the outside of the body (divided by
sutures into plates called sclerites)
• Segmented body
• Jointed limbs and jointed mouthparts - that
allow extensive specialization
• Bilateral symmetry - a central line can divide
the body into two identical halves, left and
right
Major classes of anthropods:
• Class Arachnida (arachnids): spiders,
scorpions, ticks, mites, etc.
• 2 body segments - cephalothorax and
abdomen
• 8 legs
• 1 pair of chelicerae
• no antennae
• Some mites are pests
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Class Chilopoda (centipedes)
many body segments
1 pair of legs per body segment
1 pair of antennae
Feed on insects
Can be beneficial�
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Class Diplopoda (millipedes)
many body segments
2 pair of legs per body segment
1 pair of antennae
Can be minor pests
• Class Crustacea (crustaceans): crabs, shrimp,
barnacles, sowbugs, etc.
• 2 body segments
• Segments may be fused
• 5 pairs of legs
• 2 pairs of antennae
• Can be minor pests
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Class Symphyla (symphylans)
2 body segments
12 pairs of legs
Can be a major garden pests
• Class Insecta (Insects); beetles, bugs, wasps,
moths, flies, butterflies, etc.
• 3 body segments
• 6 legs
• 1 pair of antennae
• Can be beneficial or pest
Major Orders of class Insecta
Insect Orders
ORDER
Common
Name(s)
Metamorphosis
Mouthparts
Wings
Other
• Knowing the insect order gives you valuable
information about many insects:
• Type of mouthparts
• Life cycle
• Type of habitat (or host)
Coleoptera
"hard wings"
Coleoptera
(beetles, weevils)
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Complete metamorphosis
Adults have hard outer skeleton
Chewing mouthparts
Noticeable antanae
Two pair of wings, outer pair hardened
Beneficial pollinators
Foliage and root pests
Dermapetra
"leathery wings"
Dermaptera
(earwigs)
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Simple metamorphosis
Nymphs look similar to adults
Short, hardened outer wings
Chewing mouthparts
Omnivourous (may feed on aphids beneficial)
• Mostly feed on fruit and foliage
Diptera
"two wings"
Diptera
(flies, mosquitos, gnats, midges)
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Complete metamorphosis
Larvae have mouth hooks or chewing parts
Larvae called “maggots”
Adults have one pair of wings and are soft
bodied or hairy
Adults have sponging (housefly) or piercing
(mosquito) mouthparts
Larvae are major recycling organism
Many are parasitic or predaceous - beneficial
Mosquitos are vectors of disease
Hemiptera
"half wings"
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Hemiptera
(stinkbugs, plant bugs, squash bugs,
boxelder bugs)
Simple metamorphosis
Larvae resemble adults
Adults have piercing-sucking mouthparts
Two pairs of wings
Nymphs and adults are damaging pests
Some are predators - beneficial
Homoptera
same wings
Some of the most
destructive
insects in
agriculture
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Homoptera
(scale insects,mealybugs, whiteflies,
aphids, cicadas, leafhoppers)
Simple metamorphosis
Nymphs usually resemble adults
Adults small and soft bodied (except cicadas)
There can be winged and unwinged adults in
same species
• Sucking mouthparts
• Carriers of plant pathogens
Hymenopera
"membrane wings"
Hymenoptera
(bees, ants, wasps, sawflies, horntails)
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Complete metamorphosis
Larvae may have no legs
Adults have two pair wings
Soft bodied or slightly hard bodied
Chewing mouthparts
Many beneficial species in this order – prey on
or parasitize harmful insects
• Important pollinators
Lepidotera
"scaly wings"
Lepidoptera
(butterflies, moths)
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Complete metamorphosis
Larvae are wormlike catepillars
Chewing mouthparts, voracious eaters
Adults are soft bodied with 4 well developed
wings covered with scales
• Adult mouthpart is coiled sucking tube, feed on
nectar
• Major pollinators
• Catepillars are plant pests
Neuroptera
"net-veined wings"
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Neuroptera
(lacewings, dobsonflies, alderflies,
dustywings)
Complete metamorphosis
Adults have two pair similar wings
Chewing mouthparts
Important predators of garden pests
Orthoptera
"straight wings"
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Orthoptera
(grasshoppers, crickets, praying
mantis)
Simple metamorphosis
Nymphs resemble adults, except wingless
Adults moderate size to large, hard bodied
Two pair of wings
Chewing mouthparts
Hind legs often enlarged for jumping
Adults and nymphs are damaging
Praying mantids are beneficial predators
Thysanoptera
"fringed wings"
thrips
Thysanoptera
(thrips)
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Mixture complete and simple metamorphosis
Adults are small, soft bodied insects
Rasping-sucking mouthparts
Two pair slender wings, fringed with hair
• Can you guess what “tera” means?
• Why might it be important to know the type
of mouthparts?
• What are some names we call larvae? (grub,
maggot, catepillar)
• Why is knowing metamorphosis, or life cycle
important?
Root words!
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Coleo = sheath
Derm = skin, leathery
Di = two
Hemi = half
Homo = same, mirror image
Hymen = membrane
Iso = equal
Lepido = scale
metamorphosis
“Complete“:
• Egg – larvae (3-5 instar)– pupa – adult
(emerges fully developed)
– Instar: exoskeletal shedding of skin to grow
“Simple”
• Egg – nymph - adult
mouthparts