Systematics Presented to: Mam Aqsad Presented by: Benish Riaz M.Sc Zoology University of Gujrat

Morphological Characteristics of Insect Orders CONTENTS: Superorder endopteygota Introduction Characteristics Order Neuroptera Morphological Characteristics Examples Order coleoptera Order Tricoptera  

Superorder Endopterygota Endo means "within" and pterygos means "wing". The Endopterygota are among the most diverse insect superorders, with approximately 850,000 living species divided between eleven orders, containing insects such as butterflies, fleas, bees, ants and beetles.  

Complete Metamorphism The Endopterygota, also known as Holometabola, which go through distinctive larval, pupal, and adult stages. They undergo a radical metamorphosis, with the larval and adult stages differing considerably in their structure and behaviour. This is called holometabolism, or complete metamorphism

Complete metamorphosis

Differance from Exopterygota Endopterygota (meaning literally "internal winged forms") develop wings inside the body and undergo an elaborate metamorphosis involving a pupal stage. Exopterygota ("external winged forms") develop wings on the outside of their bodies and do not go through a pupal stage.

Order Neuroptera Neuro-ptera, from Greek neuron = nerve, pteron = wing The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives. 5,000 species are known. The lacewing derives its name from the delicate, intricately-veined wings that are a feature of insects belonging to the order Neuroptera.

Body shape and size Neuropterans are soft-bodied insects with relatively few specialised features. Their bodies are long,thin and soft .Their size is from very small as 5mm to wings spans as large as 150mm. 

Difference from dragon fly Because of they have two pair of lace wings, when they are flying, they may be mistaken as dragonflies. However, their wings fold on their back as a tent-like shape when rest which dragonflies never do. Also they are easily distinguished by their pair of long antenna which all dragonflies have very short antenna.   

Eyes They have large lateral compound eyes, and may or may not also have ocelli. Their eyes are compounds, meaning they consist of thousands of individual photoreceptor units.

Mouthparts They have the biting and chewing mouthparts.Their mouthparts have strong mandibles suitable for chewing, and lack the various adaptations found in most other endopterygote insect groups.

Abdomen Abdomen fairly slender, without cerci. There is a complex metamorphosis, with a pupal stage.

Antennae Antennae generally long and thread-like, sometimes with a terminal club.

Wings They have two pairs of large,transparent wings of about the same size and shape. The wings of these insects are lace-like, with a complex network of veins and cross veins . The veins supply blood to the wings, but the thinness of the membrane in between the veins means that lacewings are weak fliers.

Some Neuropterans have specialised sense organs in their wings, or have bristles or other structures to link their wings together during flight. Lacewings can have a wingspan of 1 ½ inches.

Larvae The larvae are specialised predators, with elongated mandibles adapted for piercing and sucking. They possess a pincher-like mandible with opposing maxillae. The mandible is grooved, the maxilla acting as a cover. Together they form a food channel that connects with the mouth.

They have three pairs of thoracic legs, each ending in two claws They have three pairs of thoracic legs, each ending in two claws. The abdomen often has adhesive discs on the last two segments. They bear on the abdomen a series of pairs of gills that are jointed and which are moved by intrinsic muscles.

Antlion with clubbed antennae GreenLacewing

mantidfly Snakefly Alderfly and Larvae

Order Coleoptera This order is commonly called Beetles. Its name derived from Greek koleos, "sheath"; and, pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing", which contains more species than any other order in the animal kingdom. largest orders of insects, with 350,000–400,000 species.No other group of animals vary as much in size, shape and color.

Elytra The most distinctive feature of beetles is the hardening of the forewings into elytra; it is from this that they get their formal name. This elytra separates it from most other insect species, except for a few Hemiptera species. The elytra serve to protect the more delicate hind wings, as well as the dorsal surface of the abdomen.

During flight the forewings are opened enough to allow the hind wings to unfold and function. Typical beetles have two pairs of wings, but the front pair, called elytra are stiff and not used for flying. When a beetle is not flying the elytra meet each other in a straight line as they lie over the back, and the hind wings are folded and hidden under the elytra.

Hard Exoskeleton Species in the order Coleoptera are generally characterized by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armored defenses of the beetle while maintaining flexibility.

Body Colouration It is highly variable and diverse. Particularly brightly coloured are large beetles with diurnal activity. Many beetles moving over soil surface preferring nocturnal activity and also many beetles inhabiting in water are characterized often dark colouration.

Eyes The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles where they are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes (longhorn beetles and weevils ) while many have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli.

Clavate antennal forms.

Pectinate antennae Filiform antennae. Lamellate antennae

Legs The multi-segmented legs end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. Fossorial legs for digging

Cusorial legs. Natorial legs with hairs.

Mouthparts Similar to those of grasshoppers. The mouthparts of beetles are jaws adapted for chewing or biting. They never have sucking beaks. Attached to the beetle's mouthparts are two pairs of finger-like appendages called palps.

Thorax Segmented into the two parts, the pro- and pterathorax. The pterathorax is the fused meso- and metathorax, which are commonly separate in other insect species. A hard plate called the pronotum, is only the front part of the thorax.

Unusal pronotum of scarab beetles

Abdomen It is made up of a series of rings, each with a hole for breathing and respiration, called a spiracle; composing three different segmented sclerites: the tergum, pleura, and the sternum. The pleura are usually small or hidden in some species. The sternum is the most widely visible part of the abdomen

Order Trichoptera Tricho-ptera, from Greek trichos = hair, pteron = wing). The wings and body of Trichoptera are covered with long silky hairs ( setae) from which the name of the order is derived. Species of the order Trichoptera, commonly known as caddisflies or sedge flies, number well over 7,000 worldwide. They represent a vast group occupying niches in both still and running water.

Difference from Lepidoptera They are closely related to the Lepidoptera (butteflies and moths) and structurally very similar to certain moths. Smaller members of the two groups are easily confused, but the hairy (not scaled) wings and the lack of a coiled proboscis will distinguish the Caddis Flies.

Body All caddisflies have hard-shelled head capsules. Sometimes the first three segments behind the head also have hard-shelled plates on the top surface above the attachments for three pair of legs. The rest of the body is soft and often cylindrical. Body colour Green, orange, cream, brown or grey.

Caddis larvae All caddis larvae are aquatic. They are grub like in appearance having three pairs of thoracic legs, a segmented abdomen, with two hooked prolegs on the last segment. Many species also have gills along the sides or undersides of the abdomen.

Pharate adults The pharate adults of many species have long median legs fringed with hairs. These paddle like legs allow them to swim effectively. Their wings and antenna are usually folded back along their abdomen.Their thorax and folded wings often appear much darker.

Wings Moth-like insects, with two pairs of membranous wings densely covered with tiny hairs and held roof-wise over the body at rest. All are weak flyers and the females of a few species are wingless.Adults' wings are mostly in shades of brown, grey, and black; sometimes bearing camouflage patterns.

Antennae and Mouthparts Most species have long thread like antennae, but some have antennae four or five times the length of their bodies. Simple biting mouthparts, but these are poorly developed and often vestigial.

Protective cases of larvae as identification Most caddis larvae surround themselves with a protective case, made from various materials from their surroundings fastened together with a sticky silk-like secretion produced from a gland near the mouth. Each species uses its own particular materials - grains of sand, plant fragments and even empty snail shells - and builds its case to a specific design. It is often possible to identify a species simply from its case.

Protective cases of larvae

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