INSECT TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY By Madison Persky Insect Orders

INSECT TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY By Madison Persky

Insect Orders Ephemeroptera Orthiptera Diptera Odonata Phasmida Siphonoptera Blattaria Hemiptera Hymenoptera Isoptera Coleoptera Mantodea Dermatptera Lepidoptera Plecoptera

Ephemeroptera • 2 pair of membranous wings • Hind wings much smaller than the forewings • Short, fine antennae • Mandibulate mouthparts • Tip of abdomen usually with 3 very long

Odonata • Odonata are an order of aquatic palaeopterous insects. • Adult odonates are medium to large in size, often conspicuous and/or brightly colored insects and are aerial predators hunting by sight. • found at or near fresh water although some species roam widely and may be found far from their breeding sites. • The larvae are predatory, aquatic and occur in all manner of inland waters

Blattaria • eggs usually contained in ootheca • • leathery forewings. • • male genitalia asymmetrical • • cerci variable, with one or more segments

Isoptera • eusocial, with reproductives, soldiers, and workers of both sexes. • • wings with basal sutures allowing them to be shed • • external genitalia rudimentary or lacking

Dermatptera • an order of insects that comprises the earwigs

Orthiptera • an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, crickets, katydids, etc. • have a saddle-shaped thorax, hind legs that are typically long and modified for jumping, and a characteristic song that the male produces by stridulation

Phasmida • 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.

Hemiptera • • 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 • • Antennae vary and may be either short, or long and conspicuous • • 2 pairs of wings, although some species may be wingless and others have only forewings.

Coleoptera • Is the hardened forewings (elytra) six legs and antennae • In some cases the forewings are reduced

Lepidoptera • the second largest order of insects and consists of butterflies and moths. • There are 135 families that contain over 110, 000 species

Diptera • One pair of membranous wings • • Hind wings are reduced to small club like structures called halteres. • • Sucking mouthparts, sometimes adapted for piercing e. g. mosquitoes • • large compound eyes • • short simple antennae, frilled or bushy in mosquitoes and crane flies

Siphonoptera • • 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 head

Hymenoptera • • 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 • • Compound eyes, usually large

Mantodea • Relatively large, elongate insects up to several inches long. • Typical features include triangular heads with large compound eyes set on either side and usually three ocelli in between(6); • very flexible articulation between the head and prothorax providing great mobility and allowing a mantid to "look over its shoulder"(7); • raptorial forelegs used to capture prey

Plecoptera • Trinotoperla species • • 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 End!