AEN 201 FUNDAMENTALS OF

ENTOMOLOGY (2+1)

Ex. No. Title

9. Observing the characters of Apterygota –

Collembola and Thysanura and Exopterygota –
Odonata, Ephemeroptera and Phasmida

Dr. N. MUTHUKRISHNAN, Ph.D.

Professor (Agricultural Entomology)
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Department of Agricultural Entomology
Agricultural College and Research Institute
Madurai 625 104, Tamil Nadu
Systematic position of insects
Kingdom : Animalia (being an animal)
Sub kingdom : Metazoa (consisting of tissues & organs)

Grade : Bilateria (having bilateral symmetry)

Sub grade : Coelomata (having true body cavity)

Phylum : Arthropoda (having jointed legs)

Sub phylum : Trilobita (having three tagmata)

Class : Insecta (Latin word: insectum = cut into

Characters of phylum Arthropoda
 Legs- segmented
 Body -bilateral symmetry
 Chitinous exoskeleton and paired segmented
appendages
 Internal apodemes and apophyses
 Appendages of posterior segments- specialized
 True body cavity (haemocoel), and
 Open circulatory system
 Characters of Class Insecta
 External Morphology
 Ectognathous mouth parts
 Three body tagmas
 Head with eyes, antennae, 3-pairs of mouth
parts (mandibles, maxillae, labium)
 Thorax: three segmented, bears three pairs
of legs and two pairs of wings
 Abdomen- 11segmented bears appendages
 Exoskeleton provides protection for vital
organs and maintains body shape
 Internal Anatomy
 A tubular digestive tract
 Along valvular heart for pumping blood
 A system of tubular tracheae for
respiration
 A paired reproductive organs
 An intricate muscular system
 A central nervous system consisting of
brain, paired segmental ganglia and
connectives
Class: Insecta
 Apterygota  Pterygota
 Primarily wingless
 Winged or secondarily wingless
 Metamorphosis absent
 Metamorphosis present
 Mandibular articulation
 Mandibular articulation usually
usually single
double
 Plural sulcus absent in
 Plural sulcus present in thoracic
thoracic segments
 Pregenital abdominal
segments
 Pregenital abdominal
appendages present
 Sperm transfer - indirect appendages absent
 Sperm transfer- direct
 Adult moults even after
maturity  Adult do not moult
 Life: Egg, nymph, adult  Life: Egg, larva, pupa, adult

 Orders Division:
 1. Thysanura (Silverfish)
Exopterygota
 2. Protura (Proturans)
Endopterygota
 3. Diplura (Diplurans)
 4. Collembola (Spingtails)
 Insecta
Apterygota
1.Thysanura (Silverfish)
2.Protura (Proturans)
Pterygota
3 Diplura (Diplurans)
4. Collembola (Spingtails)

Exoperygota: Hemimetabola-Incomplete
Metamorphosis, no true pupal stage and
wing development external. Endopterygota: Holometabola – complete
metamorphosis, pupal stage present, and
5. Ephemeroptera : Mayflies Wing development internal
6. Odonata : Dragonflies, damselflies
7. Plecoptera : Stoneflies
8. Grylloblattodea : Grylloblattids 21. Neuroptera : Antlions, Aphidlions,
9. Orthoptera : Grasshoppers, crickets 22. Mecoptera : Scorpionflies
10. Phasmid a : Stick insect, leaf insect 23. Lepidoptera : Moths, butterflies
11. Dermaptera : Ear wigs 24. Trichoptera : Caddisflies
12. Embioptera : Embiids, web spinners 25. Diptera : Flies
13. Dictyoptera : Cockroaches, Mantids 26. Siphonoptera : Fleas
14. Isoptera : Termites, white ants 27. Hymenoptera : Bees, wasps, Hornets
15. Zoraptera : Zorapterans 28. Coleoptera : Beetles, weevils
16. Psocoptera : Book lice 29. Stripsiptera : Stylopids
17. Mallophaga : Bird lice
18. Siphungulata : Sucking lice
19. Hemiptera : True bugs
20. Thysanoptera : Thrips
New order: Mantophasmatodea
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS OF PTERYGOTE ORDERS
Order Thysanura
 (Thysan = Fringe or bristle; ura = tail)
 Common name: Bristle tails, silverfish, fire brats

Characters
 Body-elongated, convex dorsally and tapered
posteriorly-covered with scales
 Mouthparts- chewing type and ectognathous

 Compound eyes- present or absent; Ocelli 0 to 3

 Antennae-long and filiform

 Abdomen- 11-segmented-A pair of long cerci and a

median caudal filament present- Pre-genital abdominal
appendages -styli present on several segments
 Even after reaching sexual maturity-continues to moult

 Feed on starch in the glue of book bindings,

decomposing logs, dead leaves, old calendars, maps,
photographs, meals-found in places of high humidity
and in soil
METAMORPHOSIS IN THYSANURA
Order Collembola
 (Coll=glue; embol = a wedge (or) peg)
 Common names: Spring tails, snowflea

Characters
 Minute (0.2 to 10 mm)- tubular or globose; Mouthparts- chewing
type and endognathous; Antennae-4-segmented-rarely 6-segmented
 Compound eyes –absent- one to several pairs of lateral ocelli -as eye
patch on either side
 Abdomen- 6-segmented- possesses three abdominal appendages
 Collophore or ventral tube on 1st abdominal segment-for
respiration, water absorption and adhesion to substratum
 Retinophore or tenaculam on 3rd abdominal segment-to hold
furcula under body
 Forked furcula or springing organ on 4th abdominal segment -
for locommotion
 Malpighian tubules and trachea - absent
 In moist situations in soil, water, leaf litter, under barks, banana
sheaths, etc. -pests on mushrooms, vegetables, lucern
Order Diplura
 (Two winged bristle units)
 Common names: Diplurans/Japygids
Characters
 Small whitish insects-primarily wingless insects
showing no metamorphosis
 Mouthparts-biting types-enclosed in lower part
of head
 Antennae-many segmented
 Compound eyes -absent
 Abdomen- 11-segmented with most segments
bearing a pair of small lateral appendages
 A pair of long tail filaments or princers- present
 Malpighian tubules- absent or vestigial
 Habitat: In moist concealed situations like under
stones, in leaf moulds- no economic importance
Order Protura
 Common names: Proturans/Telson tails
Characters
 Minute (less than 0.2 mm) whitish insects-
primarily wingless- showing little
metamorphosis
 Mouthparts-piercing types -enclosed in lower
part of head
 No antennae and compound eyes
 Abdomen-11-segmented with a pair of small
lateral appendages on 1st three abdominal
segments
 Long tail filaments- absent
 Malpighian tubules- present as small papillae
 Habitat: In concealed situations (under stones,
in leaf litter, peaty soils)- No economic
Proturans
Sub class Pterygota
Adults winged
Metamorphosis –Metabola
Moulting stops once adult stage comes

EXOPTERYGOTA ENDOPTERYGOTA
This division includes 16 This division includes 9
orders orders
Metamorphosis -incomplete or Metamorphosis complete
gradual
Pupal instars rarely present Pupal instars always present
Wing buds develop externally Wing buds develop internally
Immature stages- nymphs Immature stages- larvae
PTERYGOTA- EXOPTERYGOTA ORDERS

1. EPHEMEROPTERA May flies /Dayflies/ Shadeflies

2. ODONATA Dragonflies and Damselflies
3. PLECOPTERA Stoneflies
4. GRYLLOBLATTODEA Rock crawlers /Grylloblattids
5. ORTHOPTERA Grasshoppers, Locusts and
Crickets
6. PHASMIDA Stick insect and Leaf insect
7. DERMAPTERA Ear wigs
8. EMBIOPTERA Emibiids / Web spinners
PTERYGOTA- EXOPTERYGOTA ORDERS
9. DICTYOPTERA Cockroaches Preying mantids
and
10 ISOPTERA Termites / White ants
11. ZORAPTERA Zorapterans
12. PSOCOPTERA Book lice./ Posocids/ Bark lice

13. MALLOPHAGA Chewing lice/ Bird lice

14. SIPHUNCULATA Sucking lice
(ANOPLURA)
15. HEMIPTERA True bugs
16. THYSANOPTERA Thrips
Characters of Order Ephemeroptera
 Synonymes: Ephemerida
 Etymology: Ephemero – living for a day; ptera – wing
 Common names: Mayflies, Shadflies, Dayflies
Order characters
 Small to medium sized soft bodied insects; Compound eyes -large and three
ocelli; Antenna -short and setaceous
 Mouthparts in adults-atrophied (vestigial) and chewing
 Forewings -large and triangular. Hindwings- small and absent in some
species- Numerous cross and intercalary veins present- Wings held vertically
over abdomen-Wing flexing mechanism absent
 Abdomen-slender with a pair of long cerci- Median caudal filament present
or absent
 Metamorphosis -incomplete with four stages, viz., egg, naid,sub-imago and
adult
 Naiad- aquatic with biting mouthparts- breathes through bilateral abdominal
gills-At the tip of abdomen, pair of long cerci and a median caudal filament
 Body of sub-imago-covered with closely set fine hairs (pellicle)-dull coloured-
Wings opaque- Legs and cerci-not well developed
 In imago, wings-transparent. Legs and cerci -well developed. Body -shiny and
not covered with pellicle
 Adults- near lakes and ponds -attracted by light. Naiads-important fish food
MAYFLIES
Characters of Order Odonata
 Etymology: Odon- tooth
 Common names: Dragonflies and damselflies
Order characters
 Adults-medium to large sized insects -attractively
coloured
 Head-globular and constricted behind into a
petiolated neck- Compound eyes- large -three
ocelli present
 Mouthparts- adopted for biting-Mandibles
strongly toothed
 Wings- either equal or sub-equal, membranous.
Venation-network like with many cross veins.
Wings have a dark pterostigma towards costal
apex
 Legs -antero-ventrally placed, suitable for
grasping, holding and conveying prey to mouth-
Spinose femora and tibiae useful for holding
prey. Forward shift of leg attachments allow easy
transfer of prey items to mouth in flight-Legs are
held in such a way that a basket is formed into
which food is scooped
Characters of Order Odonata
 Etymology: Odon- tooth
 Common names: Dragonflies and
damselflies
Order characters
 Abdomen-long and slender. In male,
gonophore on 9th abdominal
segment. But functional copulatory
organ present on 2nd abdominal
sternite. Cercus one segmented
 Metamorphosis -incomplete with
three life stages. Naiad-aquatic.
Mouthparts -mask (useful to capture
prey)
 Adults- aerial predators-catch hold
and devour prey in flight
 Naiad- aquatic predators-Two sub-
orders
S. No. ANISOPTERA
ADULTS
1. Strong fliers
2. Unequal wings. Hindwings -basally
broader than forewings
3. Wings-broadly attached to abdomen
4. Venation- not similar in both wings
5. Wings- spread laterally at rest
6. Compound eyes -large and meet mid-
dorsally (holoptic eyes)
7. Males have 3-abdominal appendages
Two superior anal appendages
(cerci) and one inferior anal
appendage (epiproct)
8. Oviposition -exophytic
ZYGOPTERA
Weak fliers
Equal wings
Wings- petiolated and narrowly
attached
Venation- identical in both wings
Wings- held at an angle above
abdomen at rest
Compound eyes-button-like and
wide-apart (dichoptic eyes)
Four terminal abdominal
appendages. A pair of superior
anal appendages (cerci) and a
pair of inferior anal appendage
(paraprocts)
Oviposition -endophytic
S. No. ANISOPTERA ZYGOPTERA

NAIADS
1. Stout and robust Slender and fragile
2. Gills- internal and found Three caudal gills- visible
associated with rectum externally

3. Able to propel themselves Lack jet propulsion

by forcibly ejecting mechanism
water through anus
from rectum
Characters of Order Phasmida
 Etymology: Phasma – an operation;
synonyms: Phasmodea, Phasmatodea
 Common name: Stick insects, Leaf
insects
Order characters
 Body -stick or leaf like

 Head-prognathous and Chewing

mouthparts
 Short prothorax and long meso and
metathorax-
 Metathorax -fused with 1st abd. segment
Characters of Order Phasmida
 Legs -widely separated
 Long and slender resembling twigs in stick insect
 Tibia and femur shows lamellate expansion in leaf insects
 A line of weakness- found between trochanter and rest of
leg
 Legs get broken easily at this region and such legs get
regenerated subsequently. Tarsus 5-segmented.
 Wings -present or absent
 Forewings when present- small and modified into tegmina
 In leaf insects, the wing venation mimics leaf venation
 Cerci -short and unsegmented

They show protective resemblance and herbivorous

Two families
Stick insects- Phasmidae (Eg. Carausius morosus) and
Leaf insects - Phyllidae (Eg. Phyllium sp.)