037. Entom Ppt 1.pptx

What is Entomology? • Entomology -- The science concerning insects – Class Insecta • Entomology is both a basic science and an applied science – Basic sciences use insects to address many conceptual questions in Ecology, Evolution, Physiology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, etc. – Applied entomology also includes questions about beneficial (to humans) insects.

Introduction to Insects

Outline • Insects and their relatives • How insects rule the world • Insect anatomy and biology

Insects and their relatives • Arthropods are numerous and diverse – Insects (beetles, flies, moths, earwigs, aphids) – Arachnids (spiders, ticks, mites, scorpions)

– Crustaceans (crayfish, crabs, lobsters, sowbugs) – Centipedes, millipedes

• Exoskeleton is a hard outer shell

• Jointed appendages, segmented body • Not arthropods: slugs, snails, earthworms

Basic insect body plan

Head

Thorax

Abdomen

Basic insect body plan Abdomen

Thorax

Head

Basic arachnid body plan

Cephalothorax

Abdomen

Basic arachnid body plan Abdomen

Cephalothorax

Insects

Arachnids

• 3 body regions

• 2 body regions

• 1 pair of antennae

• No antennae

• 3 pair of legs

• 4 pair of legs

• 2 pair of wings

• No wings

Insects rule the world! • There are more insects than all other plants and animals combined • There are more than 1 million different species • 1 out of every 5 animals is a beetle!

Why are insects so successful? • Small size • Multigenerational • Flight • Metamorphosis • Wide variety in food choices • Wide variety in habitat resources © Marlin E. Rice

Insect metamorphosis

Complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult

Incomplete metamorphosis: egg, nymph, adult

e.g., beetles, butterflies, flies

e.g., grasshoppers, true bugs

Images from Cornell University, Http://nides.bc.ca/Assignments/Insects/Metamorphosis3.htm

Insects eat everything • Carnivore, animal matter • Herbivore, plant matter • Omnivore, plant and animal matter • Detrivore, organic matter • Saprophore, decaying matter

How to ID insects: wings beetle

© Marlin E. Rice

grasshopper

© Marlin E. Rice

wasp

L. Jesse

true bug

earwig

L. Jesse

butterfly

© Marlin E. Rice

fly

L. Jesse

How to ID insects: mouthparts Piercing-sucking: mosquitoes, true bugs

Sponging: house fly

Siphoning: butterflies, moths

Chewing: grasshoppers, beetles, praying mantis Images on this page from R. Bessin, University of Kentucky

How to ID insects: antennae

freenaturepictures.com

How to ID insects: legs grasping pollen-carrying

walking

L. Jesse

L. Jesse

jumping

© Marlin E. Rice

Paul M. Choate, University of Florida

digging

swimming and grasping

Summary • There are many keys to help in the accurate identification of insects • Wings, antennae, legs, mouthparts

© Marlin E. Rice