NEOPTERA = exopterygotes and Endopterygota = “outside” and “inside” wings Plecoptera = Stoneflies (plectos = pleated; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Wings fold over back =Neoptera – Aquatic larvae – Often used as bio-indicators for stream pollution Blattodea = Cockroaches (blatta = cockroach) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Flattened body – Front wings toughened as protective cover hind wings – Eggs often laid in toughened ootheca – Only about 40 species (1%) of cockroach are considered pests. Isoptera = Termites (iso = equal, like; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Social insects with different castes – Symbionts convert wood etc to nutrients Orthoptera = grasshoppers, crickets, katydids (orthos = straight; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Known species = 20,000 • Key features: – Hind legs for jumping – Sound production using hind legs or front wings Orthoptera = grasshoppers, crickets, katydids (orthos = straight; pteron = a wing) • Swarms of the migratory grasshoppers can number in the billions, causing severe crop damage along the way. Mantodea = Mantids (mantis = diviner, prophet) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Mobile triangular head – Raptorial front legs – Eggs laid in papery, foam-like egg cases (ootheca) Phasmatodea = stick and leaf insects (phasma = apparition, spectre) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Slow-moving, herbivorous – Leaf-like or stick-like body – Eggs often ant-dispersed Dermaptera = Earwigs (dermatos = skin; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous ♂ • Key features: – Forceps-like cerci, male combat – Leathery front wings – Semicircular hind wings – Maternal care common ♀ alternate: Embiidina Embioptera = web spinners (embios = lively; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Gregarious in silk galleries – Swollen first tarsal segment containing silk glands – Females wingless, males winged – Escape behavior is to move backward Hemiptera = bugs, aphids, hoppers (hemi = half; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Known species = 82,000 • Key features: – Fifth largest order – Mouthparts forming a sucking/piercing beak or rostrum – Stink glands and sound producing organs sometimes present Hemiptera, 3 suborders 1. Heteroptera = true bugs 2. Auchenorrhyncha = the hoppers 3. Sternorrhyncha = plant lice, whiteflies, aphids, scale insects • Hemipterans of note: – Oncopeltus fasciatus (milkweed bug) – Kerria lacca (lac insect) – Magicicada spp. (Periodic cicadas) – Dactylopius coccus (cochineal insect) – Cimex lectularius (bed bug) – Triatoma infestans (Kissing bug) – Many others... Phthiraptera = Parasitic lice (phtheiros = louse; a+pteron = wingless) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Small, wingless ectoparasites living permanently on vertebrate hosts – Legs modified for clinging Psocoptera = barklice and booklice (psokos = gnawed; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Common on trees, vegetation, and litter – Parthenogenesis (females give rise to females) is common Thysanoptera = Thrips (thysanos = fringed; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = hemimetabolous • Key features: – Mainly liquid feeders – Hair-fringed wings – Some species have maternal care, social behaviors The Endopterygota Neuroptera = Lacewings & antlions • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Key features: – Prominent eyes – Wing venation complex and net-like Megaloptera Alderflies & Dobsonflies • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Key features: – Aquatic larva – Adults do not feed – Male mandibles used for combat Raphidioptera -Snakeflies • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Elongated pronotum • Ovipositor (females only) Coleoptera = Beetles (koleos = sheath; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Known species = 370,000 (37.0% of all insect species) • Key features: – Front wings modified as rigid elytra covering hind wings – Pronotum large and distinct Coleoptera • Four suborders 1. Archostemata (3 primitive families) 2. Myxophaga (aquatic or associated with water) 3. Adephaga (terrestrial and aquatic; mostly predacious) 4. Polyphaga (variable; some 149 families) Strepsiptera = Twisted-winged insects (streptos = twisted; pteron = wing) ♂ • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Key features: – Endoparasites of insects – Sexually dimorphic – Adult females typically neotenous (retaining immature features) = no eyes, legs, wings, external genitalia – Phylogenetic placement under debate (either with Coleoptera or ♀ Diptera) Diptera = Flies, mosquitoes (di = two; pteron = wing) • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Known species = 122,000 (12.2%) • Key features: – One pair of functional wings – Halteres (balancing organs) Diptera = Flies, mosquitoes (di = two; pteron = a wing) • Two diverse suborders – Nematocera & Brachycera • Some families parasitic • Dipterans of note: – Phaenicia sericata – green blow fly (medical use) – Aedes aegypti (dengue fever, yellow fever, encephalitis) – Culex spp. (Many diseases) – Glossina spp. – tsetse fly (Sleeping sickness) – Anopholes gambia (Malaria): the deadliest insect... – Drosophila melanogaster (model organism) Mecoptera = Scorpionflies (mekos = long; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Key features: – Distinctive elongated face – Mostly in damp wooded areas – Males present females with nuptial gifts Siphonaptera = Fleas (siphon = pipe, tube; a+pteron = wingless) • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Key features: – Small, wingless ectoparasites on mammals and birds – Adults are blood feeders – Characteristic jumping ability Trichoptera = Caddisflies (trichos = hair; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Key features: – Aquatic larvae, typically in self-constructed cases or shelters, or nets – Nocturnal and moth-like – Weakly developed mouthparts (nectar feeding) – Used as a bio-indicator for stream pollution Lepidoptera = Butterflies, moths (lepidos = scale; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Distribution = worldwide • Known species = 165,000 (16.5%) • Key features: – Entire body and wings covered with overlapping tiny scales – Usually have sucking mouthparts Lepidoptera Lepidoptera of note: – Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm) – popular experimental animal – Lymantria dispar (Gypsy moth) and many pests (Clover Cutworm, Soybean Looper, Corn Earworm, Alfalfa Looper, Celery Looper, Tobacco budworm, Wheat armyworm, Lawn armyworm, etc.) – Many gorgeous creatures Hymenoptera = Bees, wasps, ants (hymen = membrane; pteron = a wing) • Metamorphosis = holometabolous • Key features: – Second largest order: Abundant and ubiquitous – Body usually with constricted waist – Some species are social – Ovipositor may be modified as a stinger Hymenoptera • Two suborders – Symphyta (sawflies), – Apocrita (parasitoid group, stinging group . Insecta includes 3 divisions: Archaeognatha, Thysanura, Pterygota (mandible articulation, wings +/-) Pterygota comprised of 3 divisions: Ephemeroptera, Odonata, and Neoptera (wing folding) Neoptera divided into two basic groups; “exopterygote” orders and Endopterygota (where wings develop).