Insect Orders and Their Adaptations

Flashcards covering key insect orders, their characteristics, types of metamorphosis, and anatomy.

Ephemeroptera

Order of Mayflies known for their 3 long tail filaments, transparent wings, and short antennae; undergo incomplete metamorphosis.

Odonata

Order encompassing Dragonflies and Damselflies; characterized by hemimetabolic development and large eyes.

Plecoptera

Order consisting of Stoneflies; recognized by soft bodies and two cerci, residing in cold, oxygen-rich streams.

Diptera

Order including Flies; marked by one set of wings, sponging or sucking mouthparts, and highly mobile larvae.

Orthoptera

Order that contains Grasshoppers and Crickets; known for their hind legs adapted for jumping and producing sound.

Lepidoptera

Order comprising Moths and Butterflies; noted for their scaled wings and coiled proboscis for nectar feeding.

Hymenoptera

Order of Bees, Wasps, and Ants; features include two sets of wings, chewing mouthparts (wasps, ants), and proboscis (bees).

Coleoptera

Order consisting of Beetles; distinguished by hardened wing covers (elytra) and diverse feeding habits.

Arachnida

Class that includes Spiders; characterized by 8 legs and no antennae, often using webs and venom for survival.

Malacostraca

Class represented by Pill bugs, with segmented bodies and 7 pairs of legs, known for rolling into a ball.

Chilopoda

Class of Centipedes, recognized for having 1 pair of legs per segment and fast predatory behavior.

Diplopoda

Class including Millipedes; noted for having 2 pairs of legs per segment and a defensive ability to coil up.

Ametabolous

A type of metamorphosis where juveniles resemble small adults without distinct life stages.

Hemimetabolous

Incomplete metamorphosis where nymphs resemble adults and inhabit similar habitats.

Holometabolous

Complete metamorphosis characterized by distinct life stages: larva, pupa, and adult.

Maxilla

Mouthpart in insects used to manipulate food.

Mandibles

Hard mouthparts in insects that function like teeth for biting or grinding food.

Ovipositor

Structure used by female insects for laying eggs.

Order Coleoptera

The beetle order, known for its hardened forewings (elytra), complete metamorphosis, and diverse feeding habits.

Order Lepidoptera

Includes butterflies and moths, characterized by scaly wings, complete metamorphosis, and a crucial role in pollination.

Order Hymenoptera

Comprises bees, wasps, and ants; known for complex social structures, complete metamorphosis, and roles in pollination and pest control.

Order Diptera

The true flies, characterized by having two wings, complete metamorphosis, and includes many species important for decomposition.

Order Orthoptera

Includes grasshoppers and crickets, characterized by jumping legs, gradual metamorphosis, and sound production through stridulation.

Order Odonata

Comprises dragonflies and damselflies; features large multifaceted eyes, incomplete metamorphosis, and an aquatic nymph stage.

Order Mantodea

Includes mantises; characterized by their distinctive posture, raptorial forelegs, and complete metamorphosis.

Order Blattodea

Includes cockroaches and termites; known for flat bodies, long antennae, and complete metamorphosis.

Order Hemiptera

The true bugs, characterized by specialized mouthparts for piercing and sucking, and includes both plant-feeding and predatory species.

Order Neuroptera

Includes lacewings, characterized by net-like wings, complete metamorphosis, and often predatory habits in larval stage.

Order Thysanoptera

Includes thrips, characterized by small size, fringed wings, and life stages with incomplete metamorphosis.

Order Isoptera

Now classified under Blattodea, originally included termites, known for social colonies and wood consumption.

Order Psocodea

Includes lice and bark lice; characterized by flattened bodies, specialized mouthparts for parasitism, and gradual metamorphosis.

Order Trichoptera

Caddisflies, characterized by aquatic larvae, hairy wings as adults, and complete metamorphosis.

Order Siphonaptera

Fleas, known for their jumping ability, parasitic lifestyle on mammals, and complete metamorphosis.

Order Hemiptera

True bugs such as aphids and cicadas; characterized by altered mouthparts for feeding on plant or animal juices, and incomplete metamorphosis.