Insect Taxonomy Diversity - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Insect Taxonomy Diversity

By: Patricia BrownSlide2

Insect Orders

1)Ephemeroptera 6)Orthoptera 11)Diptera

2)Odonata 7)Phasmida 12)

Siphonaptera

3)Blattaria 8)Hemiptera 13)Hymenoptera

4)Isoptera

9)Coleoptera 14)Mantodea

5)Dermatptera 10)Lepidoptera 15)PlecopteraSlide3

Ephemeroptera

Includes mayflies

Mayflies are small to medium sized insects with an average wingspan up to 15

millimetres

. As their name suggests, mayflies have only a short adult life ranging from a few hours up to a day or two depending on the species. Mayflies can be recognised by the following characteristics: 2 pair of membranous wings, hind wings much smaller than the forewings, short, fine antennae, mandibulate mouthparts, etc.Slide4

Odonata

Includes Dragonflies and Damselflies

Many characteristics distinguish

Odonata

from other groups of insects -- minute antennae, extremely large eyes (filling most of the head), two pairs of transparent membranous wings with many small veins, a long slender abdomen, an aquatic larval stage (nymph) with posterior tracheal gills, and a prehensile labium (extendible jaws underneath the head).Slide5

Blattaria

Includes Cockroaches

They are……

• quick moving,

dorsoventrally flattened body• large shield-like pronotum that extends forward to at least partially cover the head• two pairs of wings (in some species, the wings are small)• leathery, membranous wings• chewing mouthparts• two cerci• hemimetabolous metamorphosis (egg — nymph — adult

)Slide6

Isoptera

Includes Termites

Termites are usually small or medium sized, whitish or

colourless

insects, with short antennae. They have strong biting mouthparts with which to chew seeds, wood or leaves.Apart from the Hymenoptera (bees, ants and wasps), termites are the only insects that live in social groups. In fact, unlike the Hymenoptera, even the young termite nymphs are active in running the termite community.Living in a society means having a division of labour. In other words, groups of individuals have particular roles and these groups are known as castes. These are:Kings and queens

Workers

SoldiersSlide7

Dermatpera

Includes Earwigs

Earwigs are a distinctive group of insects of small to medium size, ranging from 5 to 50

millimetres

in length. Earwigs are sometimes confused with Staphylinid beetles, but can be distinguished from the latter by the presence of pincer-like cerci, which Staphylinid beetles lack. Earwigs are mostly dark coloured (brown to black) and can be recognised by the following features: Flattened elongated body

Heavily sclerotised

pincer-like cerci. Females have straight cerci with a inward pointing tip and males have curved cerci

2 pairs of wings. The forewings are short and protectively hardened. The hind wings are membranous and folded in a fan-like way underneath the forewings when not in use. Some species are also wingless

Chewing (

mandibulate

) mouthparts

Moderately long

antennaeSlide8

Orthoptera

Includes Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers, crickets, katydids and locusts all belong to the order

Orthoptera

which means 'straight wings'. Most are easily recognisable by their hind legs, which are usually enlarged for jumping. They are often easily seen jumping away when disturbed or heard 'singing' at night. They are mainly medium to large insects with some species in Australia growing to a length of 10 centimetres. There are about 3000 species in Australia and all can be distinguished from other insects by the following features: 2 pairs of wings. The forewings are narrower than the hind wings and hardened or leathery at the base. They are held roof-like overlapping the abdomen at rest. The hind wing is membranous and held folded fan-like under the forewings when at rest

Mandibulate mouthparts

Large compound eyes

Antennae may be short to very long depending on the species. Grasshoppers have relatively short antennae while crickets and katydids generally have long antennae

Hind legs are enlarged and modified for

jumpingSlide9

Phasmida

Includes Stick and Leaf Insects

Phasmida

are variable in appearance, ranging from relatively generalized forms, to some that are wonderful mimics of sticks and/or leaves. They display varying degrees of

brachyptery, and can be winged or wingless. The tarsi have three articles in Timema Scudder and five in other Phasmida. Cerci are composed of one article, except for adult males of Timema which have a lobe on the right cercus.Sexual dimorphism is usually extreme: the males are smaller and more gracile

than the females. Reproduction is typically sexual, but parthenogenesis occurs frequently. The egg capsule is distinctively shaped, possessing a lid called the operculum and a micropylar plate (

Sellick

, 1997). Eggs are large and oftentimes highly sculptured resembling plant seeds. They are laid singly, and are dropped, flicked, buried, glued to a surface, or riveted to a leaf. Some species that drop the eggs rely on ants to disperse them in a process analogous to

myrmecochory

(Windsor et al., 1996). The entire life cycle from egg to adult can take from several months to several years depending on the species

.Slide10

Hemiptera

Includes Bugs, Aphids, & Cicadas

The insects in this order are extremely diverse in their size, shape and

colour

. There are about 6000 described species in Australia, ranging in size from 1 to 110 millimetres in length. The name Hemiptera means 'half wing' and all hemipterans share the following features: • 2 pairs of wings, although some species may be wingless and others have only forewings. Wings are generally membranous but in some species the forewings may be hardened at the base

• Piercing or sucking mouthparts appearing as a sharply pointed tube known as a proboscis or rostrum, which extends from the underside of the head•Compound eyes of various forms

• Up to 3

ocelli

present

• Antennae vary and may be either short, or long and conspicuousSlide11

Coleoptera

Includes Beetles

Beetles constitute the largest and most diverse order of insects on earth, making up about 30% of all animals. There are over 300 000 species of beetles worldwide and over 28 000 species spread across 117 families in Australia. Beetles come in a variety of shapes and

colours

and can range from 0.4 to about 80 millimetres in length. Due to the variation within the order it is difficult to give a general description however all beetles characteristically have the following features: •2 pairs of wings. Forewings hardened, hind wings membranous•Mandibulate mouthparts which are designed for biting and chewing•Antennae present in a variety of forms

•Compound eyes in a variety of sizes and shape

Slide12

Lepidoptera

Includes Moths and Butterflies

•2

pairs of membranous wings that are covered in tiny scales which overlap like shingles on a roof. A few moths are wingless

• Large compound eyes • One ocelli present above each eye • Antennae present. Antennae are long and slender in female moths and generally feathery in male moths. Butterflies have clubbed antennae• Mouthparts are formed into a sucking tube known as a haustellumThe larvae are typically known as caterpillars and have a sclerotised head with chewing (mandibulate

) mouthparts, 3 pairs of thoracic legs and often short, unsegmented

prolegs

on the abdomenSlide13

Diptera

Includes Flies and Mosquitoes

One pair of membranous wings

•Hind wings are reduced to small club like structures called

halteres. The halteres are used as stabilisers during flight• Sucking mouthparts, sometimes adapted for piercing e.g. mosquitoes•large compound eyes•short simple antennae, frilled or bushy in mosquitoes and crane fliesSlide14

Siphonaptera

Includes Fleas

•

Laterally compressed bodies

•Piercing-sucking mouthparts•Enlarged hind legs adapted for jumping •Strong tarsal claws adapted for holding onto their hosts •Backward pointing hairs and bristles for ease of movement through the hair of a host •Small antennae which tuck away into special groves in the headThe species Ctenocephalides felis (above) is the introduced cat flea but can survive on a wide range of host species. The larvae of all fleas appear grub-like and are usually found in the nests of their host or other areas where they commonly rest.Slide15

Hymenoptera

Includes Ants, Bees, & Wasps

•Two pairs of membranous wings, although some may be wingless such as some species of female wasps and the worker caste of ants

• The forewings are larger than the hind wings and are held together by small hooks (see below)

• Females usually have a hardened ovipositor, which may be modified for sawing, piercing or stinging• Most hymenopterans have a constriction between the first 2 segments of the abdomen, which is known as a 'wasp waist'• Chewing (mandibulate) mouthparts, although in some species such as bees the lower lip is modified to form a tongue•Compound eyes, usually large The larvae of hymenopterans lack many of the above external features. They vary in body shape and size depending on the species. Some display a distinct head,a thorax with 3 pairs of legs and an abdomen, although most are grub-like with no legs. Slide16

Mantodea

Includes Praying

Mantids

•Elongated body

•Raptorial front legs with one or two rows of spines •2 pairs of wings, both of which are used in flight. Although some species have reduced wings and others are wingless• Forewings protectively hardened to cover the membranous hind wings when at rest •Very mobile triangular shaped head with distinctive ocelli•Large compound eyes •Short to medium sized filiform antennae

The males of most species are fully winged while many females have either reduced wings or no wings at all. The nymphs of praying

mantids

look like small adults but lack wings or have developing wing buds.

Some species of

Neuroptera

in the family

Mantispidae

, like the one pictured below can be mistaken for praying

mantids

as they also have raptorial front legs, however further examination reveals they do not have the hardened forewings present in

Mantodea

.

Slide17

Plecoptera

Includes Stoneflies

•Elongated, flattened, soft body

•2 pairs of membranous wings that are held curved around the body at rest. Some species are wingless while others have reduced wings

• Hind wings slightly wider than forewings •Long legs •Mandibulate mouthparts •2 cerci at tip of abdomen The larvae of stoneflies are aquatic and appear similar to the adults but lack wings. Larvae also possess external gills along the edge of their abdomens and at the tip.Slide18

THE

END!!!