Portal:Insects

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Insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and a pair of antennae. Insects are the most diverse group of animals, with more than a million described species; they represent more than half of all animal species. (Full article...)

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Light micrograph of Fahrenholzia pinnata

Louse (pl.: lice) is the common name for any member of the clade Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera has variously been recognized as an order, infraorder, or a parvorder, as a result of developments in phylogenetic research.

Lice are obligate parasites, living externally on warm-blooded hosts which include every species of bird and mammal, except for monotremes, pangolins, and bats. Lice are vectors of diseases such as typhus. (Full article...)

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... that only one side of the extinct parasitoid wasp Neanaperiallus is visible in its sole fossilised specimen?
... that the queen ant of the Acropyga acutiventris carries a mealybug Xenococcus annandalei in her jaws on her nuptial flight?
... that the only known specimen of the extinct planthopper Glisachaemus jonasdamzeni is preserved with a parasitic mite?
... that the extinct planthopper Tainosia quisqueyae was named for the Taíno people and Hispaniola?
... that the discovery of the fossil giant ant Titanomyrma in Wyoming indicates that warmth-loving fauna spread through the north between Europe and America during hot spells in the Eocene?

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The following are images from various insect-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 2A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 3Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 4A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 5Reconstruction Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
Image 6Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 7Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 8Mandibles of Rhyniognatha hirsti, it may be an oldest insect, but also possible to be a myriapod. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 9Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 10
Insect morphology
Legend of body parts
Tagmata: A – Head, B – Thorax, C – Abdomen.
1. antenna
2. ocelli (lower)
3. ocelli (upper)
4. compound eye
5. brain (cerebral ganglia)
6. prothorax
7. dorsal blood vessel
8. tracheal tubes (trunk with spiracle)
9. mesothorax
10. metathorax
11. forewing
12. hindwing
13. mid-gut (stomach)
14. dorsal tube (heart)
15. ovary
16. hind-gut (intestine, rectum & anus)
17. anus
18. oviduct
19. nerve cord (abdominal ganglia)
20. Malpighian tubes
21. tarsal pads
22. claws
23. tarsus
24. tibia
25. femur
26. trochanter
27. fore-gut (crop, gizzard)
28. thoracic ganglion
29. coxa
30. salivary gland
31. subesophageal ganglion
32. mouthparts
(from Insect morphology)
Image 11The development of insect mouthparts from the primitive chewing mouthparts of a grasshopper in the center (A), to the lapping type (B) of a bee, the siphoning type (C) of a butterfly and the sucking type (D) of a female mosquito.
Legend: a – antennae
c – compound eye
lb – labium
lr – labrum
md – mandibles
mx – maxillae (from Insect morphology)
Image 12Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 13Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 14The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 15Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 16Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 17The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature, as do mayflies. (from Insect flight)
Image 18Hoverfly (Philhelius pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 19Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 20Closeup of a fire ant, showing fine sensory hairs on antennae (from Insect morphology)
Image 21Diagram of a typical insect leg (from Insect morphology)
Image 22Head of Orthoptera, Acrididae. a:antenna; b:ocelli; c:vertex; d:compound eye; e:occiput; f:gena; g:pleurostoma; h:mandible; i:labial palp; j:maxillary palps; k:maxilla; l:labrum; m:clypeus; n:frons (from Insect morphology)
Image 23Venation of insect wings, based on the Comstock-Needham system (from Insect morphology)
Image 24Larva of beetle, family Cerambycidae, showing sclerotised epicranium; rest of body hardly sclerotised (from Insect morphology)
Image 25Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 26Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 27The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (from Insect morphology)
Image 28Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 29Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 30Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 31Larva of Syrphid fly, member of Cyclorrhapha, without epicranium, almost without sclerotisation apart from its jaws. (from Insect morphology)
Image 32Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)

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Credit: Fir0002

Insects are the only group of invertebrates known to have evolved flight. Insects possess some remarkable flight characteristics and abilities, still far superior to attempts by humans to replicate their capabilities.

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WikiProject Insects

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