Basic Entomology

Flashcards for vocabulary review

Entomology

A biological science dealing with insects.

Etymology of Entomology

Derived from Greek words - "Entomon" means insects and "Logos" - discourse.

Etymology of Insect

Derived from the Latin word insectum which means "cut into".

Pest

An organism whose population increases to cause economic loss to crops or a nuisance and health hazard.

Etymology of Pest

Derived from French word "Peste" and Latin word "pestis" means plague or contagious disease.

Characteristics of Phylum Arthropoda

Segmented bodies, exoskeletons made of chitin, and jointed appendages.

Classes under Phylum Arthropoda

Onychophora, Crustacea, Arachnida, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Hexapoda (Insecta).

Examples of Class Arachnida

Spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites.

Physical Characteristics of Arachnids

Two main body segments (cephalothorax and abdomen) and typically eight legs.

Examples of Class Insecta/Hexapoda

Beetles, butterflies, ants, and bees.

Physical Characteristics of Insects

Three main body segments (head, thorax, and abdomen), three pairs of legs, and usually one or two pairs of wings.

Tracheate Arthropods

Having trachea for respiration.

Three Parts of an Insect Body

Head, Thorax, Abdomen

1758 Event in Entomology

Publication of the 10th edition of Carl Linnaeus's "System Naturae".

Reasons for Dominance of Insects

Capacity for flight, more adaptability or universality, smaller size, presence of exoskeleton, resistance to desiccation, higher reproductive potential.

Two Subclasses of Class Insecta

Apterygota and Pterygota.

Apterygota Characteristic

Primarily wingless, evolved from wingless ancestors

Pterygota Characteristic

Winged or secondarily wingless evolved from winged ancestors

Metamorphosis

Radial change in morphology during development.

Ametamorphosis

Insects do not undergo any metamorphosis; they resemble the adult in all characters except size.

Incomplete Metamorphosis

Eggs turn into nymphs, and nymphs are the smallest form of an adult.

Four Distinct Phases of Complete Metamorphosis

Egg, larval, pupal, and adult phases.

Hypermetamorphosis

Two or more types or forms of larvae in the life cycle of insects.

Function of Mandibles

Cutting food.

Labrum

A cover which may be loosely referred to as the upper lip.

Labium

Lower cover, often referred to as the lower lip.

Hypopharynx

Works like tongue; it mixes the crushed and cut food material.

Types of Mouthparts in Insects

Biting and Chewing, Piercing and Sucking, Chewing and Lapping, Rasping and Sucking, Sponging, Siphoning

Insect Leg Segments

Each leg consists of five segments viz., coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsus.

Coxa

First or proximal leg segment, articulates with the cup-like depression on the thoracic pleuron.

Trochanter

Second leg segment, usually small and single-segmented.

Femur

Largest and stoutest part of the leg, closely attached to the trochanter.

Tibia

Long segment with downward projecting spines for climbing and footing.

Function of Ambulatorial Legs

Walking.

Function of Cursorial Legs

Running.

Function of Saltatorial Legs

Leaping/Jumping.

Function of Scansorial Legs

Climbing or Clinging.

Function of Fossorial Legs

Burrowing/Digging.

Function of Raptorial Legs

Grasping/Predatory Behavior.

Function of Natatorial Legs

Swimming.

Function of Sticking Legs

Suited for sticking to surfaces.

Function of Foragial Leg

Collecting food materials (foraging).

Important structures of Forelegs

Eye brush, Antenna cleaner or strigillis, Pollen brush

Important structures of Middle legs

Pollen brish, Tibial spar

Important structures of Hind legs

Pollen basket, pollen packer and pollen comb.

Function of Antennae

Detect chemicals, food, pheromones, and environmental cues.

Segments of an Antenna

Scape and pedicel

Setaceous Antenna

Bristle-like, size decreases from base to apex.

Filiform Antenna

Thread-like, cylindrical segments.

Moniliform Antenna

Beaded, globular or spherical with constriction.

Serrate Antenna

Saw-like, short triangular projections on one side.

Unipectinate Antenna

Comb-like, long slender processes on one side.

Clavate Antenna

Clubbed, enlarges gradually towards the tip.

Capitate Antenna

Terminal segments enlarged suddenly.

Lamellate Antenna

Plate-like, tip expanded laterally to form flat plates.

First entomologist in India

Lionel de Niceville

Father of Insect Physiology

V.B. Wigglesworth

Father of Insect Pathology

E.A. Steinhaus

Sterile Male Technique

E.F. Knipling

Important Year to remember

1968- The Govt. of India enacted 'Central Insecticide Act' which came into from 1st January, 1971.