Arthropods and Insects

Vocabulary flashcards about arthropods, insects, and parasites.

Chitin

Structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of arthropods.

Dioecious

Having separate sexes; male and female reproductive organs in different individuals.

Hexapoda

The subphylum of Arthropoda that includes insects.

Myriapoda

Subphylum of Arthropoda: millipedes and centipedes.

Crustacea

Subphylum of Arthropoda: ostracods, amphipods, and decapods (lobsters, shrimp, crayfish).

Chelicerata

Subphylum of Arthropoda: scorpions, spiders, horseshoe crabs, ticks, mites, chiggers.

Parasitic insects

Describes insects that spend time as parasites.

Micropredators

Insects that feed temporarily on a host.

Ectoparasites

Parasites that live on the exterior of their host.

Pterygota

Subclass of insects, which includes winged and formerly winged insects.

Hemiptera

Order of insects: true bugs.

Diptera

Order of insects: flies.

Siphonaptera

Order of insects: fleas.

Anoplura

Order of insects: sucking lice (mammal parasites).

Mallophaga

Order of insects: biting lice (bird parasites).

Nymphs

Juvenile stage of true bugs that resemble mini adults.

Instars

Stages of different sizes, separated by molts, in the development of true bugs.

Reduviidae

Assassin bugs; vectors of Chagas disease.

Cimicidae

Bed bugs.

Chagas disease

Disease vectored by assassin bugs.

Diptera

Flies with holometabolic development; larvae (maggots) look different from adults.

Holometabolic development

Complete metamorphosis.

Glossina spp.

Tsetse flies.

Telmophagous

Feeding style of tsetse flies; cutting through host skin and sipping pooled blood.

Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

Disease vectored by tsetse flies.

Psychoidae: Phlebotominae

Sand flies.

Leishmania spp.

Disease vectored by sand flies.

Tabanidae

Deer flies and horse flies.

Loa loa

Disease vectored by deer flies.

Simuliidae

Black flies.

Onchocerca (river blindness)

Disease vectored by black flies.

Cuculicidae

Mosquitoes.

Myiasis

Infection by fly larvae.

Calliphoridae

Blow flies.

Oestridae

Bot flies.

Anoplura

Sucking lice; ectoparasites of mammals.

Nits

Eggs laid by lice on hair or clothing.

Pediculus humanus capitus

Human head louse.

Pediculus humanus corporis

Human body louse.

Phthirus pubis

Human pubic louse.