Ento 201 TAMU Bernal EXAM4

What is similar about VW Beetles and the insect order beetles?

Both are sealed (sclerotized) underneath

What is the distribution and metaboly of Coleoptera?

worldwide and holometabolous

Key features of Coleoptera

forewings are elytra,

large prothorax (so, meso and metathorax=pterothorax)

what is thought to be the largest order of insects?

Coleoptera

What is the most successful order of insects?

Coleoptera

approximately what percentage of all known insect species are beetles?

40%

Approximately what percentage of all known animals are beetles?

30%

There are more species of beetles than there are species of flowering plants. T/F

True

What order of insects may actually be larger than Coleoptera and why?

Hymenoptera because of the number of parasitic wasps

Elytra always extend to cover the whole abdomen. T/F

False, they are shortened in some cases

All Coleoptera larvae have hardened head capsules, with foward facing biting mouthparts and short antennae. T/F

True

What do beetles eat?

pretty much anything, herbivorous or carnivorous, some endoparasitoids and saphagous

What are the 4 beetle suborders?

Polyphaga

Adephaga

Myxophaga

Archostemata

Which Coleoptera suborder has a pronotum without a notopleural suture?

Polyphaga

Which Coleoptera suborder has a pronotum with a notopleural suture and hind coxae divide at the 1st abdominal segment?

Adephaga

Which Coleoptera suborder has a pronotum with a notopleural suture, an undivided 1st abdominal segment, and clubbed antennae?

Myxophaga

Which suborder of Coleoptera has a pronotum with a notopleural suture, an undivided 1st abdominal segment, anf filiform antennae?

Archostemata

Where are Archostemata mostly found and what do they feed on?

decaying wood feeding on fungi

Which is the basal Coleopteran suborder?

Archostemata

Where are Myxophaga found and what do they feed on?

aquatic or wet habitats and algal feeders

Where are Adephaga found and what are their eating habits?

both terrestrial and aquatic

mostly predaceous carnivores

Where do diving beetles store their air?

under their elytra and when they need more they come to the surface tail first.

What is interesting about Whirlygig beetles eyes?

they are horizontally divided into two zones, one for above water and one for below

How are ground Beetles colored?

Mostly dark colored but some are metallic or brightly colored

Which is the largest beetle suborder?

Polyphaga

Where do Polyphaga live and what do they eat?

terrestrial and aquatic, mostly herbivorous

Why do Burying beetles bury?

burying reduces competition from fly maggots

Name an important Scarab beetle?

Dung beetle

Ancient Egyptians may have modeled mummification after this beetle?

Scarab

Which beetle has larvae known as flathead borers and the majority are metallic green, blue, and red with contrasting markings?

Jewel beetles

Jewel beetle coloration is not due to pigments but instead...

structural coloration ( like on Cds or DVDs)

Many Leaf beetles are pest. T/F

True

Ladybird beetle adults use reflex bleeding. T/F

True

What insect led to the creation of the ENTO department at TAMU?

Cotton boll weevil

Bark beetles bore into what?

the cambium

The southern pine beetle is one of the world's most serious forest pest. T/F

True

What is interesting about Triungulins(blister beetle)?

the larvae group together and release a scent that mimics the sex pheromone of the female bee drawing in the male bee. the larvae hop on until he mates, transferring to the female, who brings them to the nest...

What is the giraffe weevils ne k used for?

fighting(males) and nest building(females)

What is interesting about Eocorythoderus incredibilis?

carried by termites, basically parasite their nest.

Eruciform larvae

caterpillar like

Apodous larvae

legless

What is interesting about the Tiger Beetle?

Incredibly fast for its size and has backwards spikes

notopleural suture

suture in between dorsal and ventral side of the prothorax

What order of insects have Neotenous females?

Strepsiptera

Neoteny

the adult retains features of the immature stage, i.e. adult looks like a larva

Strepsiptera are sexually dimorphic. T/F

True, females are Neotenous

Describe the wings of male Strepsiptera.

forewings are small, elytra or haltere like. hind wings are fan like, with reduced venation

Describe the thorax of Strepsiptera.

pro and mesothorax are small, metathorax is large and overlaps the anterior part of the abdomen

Describe the legs of Strepsiptera.

usually without tarsal claws, first two pairs without trochanters, hind pair w/o coxae

Describe the first instar of Strepsiptera.

Triungulin

Describe the metaboly of Strepsiptera.

Holometabolous

How are Strepsiptera similar to beetles/Coleoptera?

antennae, elytriform wings, and triungulin larvae

Do female Strepsiptera ever leave there host?

No, only males do

Are Strepsiptera parasites?

Yes refered to as stylopization

How long do Strepsiptera males live?

1-2 days spent searching for females

What is the anterior end that the females expose called?

cephalothorax (head, pro and mesothorax)

How do Stresiptera males find females?

Pheromones that females release

Female Strepsiptera produce large amounts of eggs T/F

True up to 75k

How do Strepsiptera triungulins get on their host?

They hop on flowers from where they hop onto or are consumed with nectar by bees, wasps

Each Strepsiptera larval instar lives within shed cuticle of previous instar. T/F

T

How does copulation occur in Strepsiptera?

through brood canal, which allows Triungulins to escape, killing the mom

What is Strepsiptera's common name?

Twisted wing parasite(insect)

What is Mecoptera's common names?

scorpionflies or hangingflies

What is a main feature of Mecoptera?

elongated rostrum

Describe the wings of Mecoptera.

wings are subequal, with many crossveins

Can the legs of Mecoptera be modified?

Yes, they can be modified for predation, i.e. raptorial

Describe the thorax of Mecoptera.

meso and metathorax are fused

Describe the larvae of Mecoptera.

larvae eruciform(caterpillar-like) or scarabaeiform, mostly terrestrial. have thoracic legs w/ single claw; prolegs on abdominal segments 1-8

Describe the movement of Mecoptera pupa.

immobile

Which order has paired hooks or suction disk on terminal segment.

Mecoptera

Describe the male genitalia of scorpionflies.

looks like a scorpian tail

Where are the mouthparts of Mecoptera.

at the end of the rostrum

Describe the metaboly of Mecoptera.

Holometabolous

Where do Mecoptera prefer to live?

in moist conditions

What are the feeding habits of Mecoptera?

preditory, herbivorous, and scavengers

Do Mecoptera have an elaborate courtship that includes nuptial gifts?

Yes

Where do Mecoptera larvae live?

in leaf litter, consuming dead insects or plants

Some species of Mecoptera larvae have compound eyes. T/F

True, they are an exception to the rule

pupation in Mecoptera occurs without a cocoon. T/F

True

Where does Mecoptera reproduction take place?

in the dark

How are Mecoptera eggs laid?

in small groups in soil

Do male Mecoptera often wrestle other males during copulation, sometimes stealing nuptial gifts?

Yes

Scorpion flies and snow scorpionflies reproduction may involve sound/vibratory communication. T/F

True

What insects are typically the first to arrive on human cadavers and remain for 1 1/2 days?

Scorpionflies

What is the common name for Siphonaptera?

fleas

Which order of insects has a pronotal comb?

Siphonaptera

which order of insects are dorsolaterally flattened?

Siphonaptera

What kind of mouthparts do Siphonaptera have?

piercing-sucking

What are the antennae like in Siphonaptera?

in grooves

Describe the eyes of Siphonaptera.

eyeless, ocelli absent to well developed

Which order of insects have numerous backward facing setae and spines, some spines stout and grouped into cones, aka ctenidia

Siphonaptera

Describe the legs of Siphonaptera.

strong legs w/large coxae, hind legs enlarged for jumping

Describe Siphonaptera larvae.

terrestrial legless larvae, with distinct head capsule

What is the significance of the resilin ball in Siphonaptera?

Resilin and energy storage in a reslin ball, energy is released all at once, traveling down to the flea's tarsi when a flea jumps

Siphonaptera are mostly intermittently ectoparasic. T/F

True

Where do the larvae of Siphonaptera live?

Nests/Bedding

Can Siphonaptera have aquatic and terrestrial animals as host?

Yes, exception seals and others that do not nest.

Do Siphonaptera only specifically live on one species?

no some are monoxenous(living on one specific host) while others are polyxenous (living on multiple host)

What are the rugged plates on Siphonaptera called?

sclerites

What do adult Siphonaptera eat?

blood