Entomology/Entomology Insect List

This page will provide information about each taxon on the 2015 Official Insect List for the event Entomology. The page will be structured with information for: If a taxon is italicized, it is necessary to learn about its life cycle. Information about the life cycle and immature forms will be located below the other information.
 * Head (contains information about mouthparts, antennae, eyes, and head in general)
 * Thorax (contains information about wings, legs, locomotion, flight, and thorax in general)
 * Abdomen (contains information about internal anatomy and abdomen in general)
 * Sexual Dimorphism (contains information about genitalia, differences between male/female forms, and courtship/mating rituals)
 * Life Cycle (contains information about life cycle, development, and life length)
 * Miscellaneous Anatomy (contains information about size, color, and shape where applicable)
 * Human Impact (contains information about how the insect can be helpful/harmful to humans, along with any diseases the insect may spread)
 * Habitat (contains information about the habitat in which the insect lives, along with its behavioral habits, e.g. nocturnal/diurnal)
 * Diet (contains information about what the insect feeds on and its biological niche)
 * Sociality (contains information about the social habits of the insect, not applicable for all)
 * Explanation of Name (contains information explaining the reason behind the scientific name of the insect, not applicable for all)
 * Miscellaneous (contains all miscellaneous information about the insect that is not related to anatomy)

Protura (telsontails, proturans)

 * Head: Entognathous, sucking mouthparts all enclosed within head capsule, consist of thin mandibles & maxillae, use mouthparts to scrape off food particles, which they draw into mouth & mix with saliva; No antennae; No eyes; Head Conical, Pseudoculi (eye shaped organs for smell) present (may be remnants of vestigial antennae);
 * Thorax: Wingless; FL used as sensory function, 5 segmented, each leg tipped with a single claw;
 * Abdomen: 12 Abdominal Segments (newly hatched have 9, each time they molt, one is added), Small ventral styli located on abdominal segments 1-3, Cerci & Abdominal filaments entirely absent; Some lack a tracheal system (All gas exchange occurs through the integument);
 * Sexual Dimorphism- Genitalia are internal & the genital opening lies between the eleventh segment & the telson of the adult;
 * Misc Anatomy: .6-1.5mm; Unpigmented, most white or ivory; Postanal Telson @ end of cylindrical body;
 * Human Impact: None pests, help break down/recycle organic nutrients;
 * Habitat: Always moist, usu in the humus & leaf mold of temperate deciduous forests, some live 10” underground; Uncommon;
 * Diet: Organic matter released by decay & mycorrhizal fungi, dead Acari, & mushroom powder in culture; Herbivores
 * Explanation of Name: roto” – first (original) “ura” – tail;, refers to the lack of advanced or specialized structures at the back of the abdomen
 * Misc: Most primitive hexapods, smallest arthropod class; Discovered by Antonio Sylvestri in 1907 near Syracuse, New York;

Collembola (springtails, snow fleas)

 * Head: Piercing-sucking, entognathic mouthparts; Antennae short with 4-6 segments: Compound eyes absent or reduced to a cluster of not more than 8 ommatidia;
 * Thorax: Wingless; Most have short legs, 1 segmented tarsi;
 * Abdomen: Unique, tube-like structure, the collophore is located ventrally on the first abdominal segment (possibly helps maintain water balance by absorbing fluid), Forked jumping organ (furcular) on 4th abdominal segment; The furcula is retracted against the ventral wall of the abdomen & held there, in cocked position, by a special catch (the tenaculum) on the third abdominal segment. Effective adaptation for avoiding predation;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Genital opening on 5th abdominal segment;
 * Life Cycle: Young similar in appearance to adults but paler, some parthenogenetic, most sexual reproduction;
 * Human Impact: Decompose/ recycle organic materials, some are plant pests;
 * Habitat: Common in grassy/wooded areas decaying organic matter, spores, some inhabit the intertidal zone; Common, worldwide;
 * Diet: Scavengers, use ants or termites as a host (commenalism); Feed on decaying vegetation & soil fungi;
 * Explanation of Name: “coll” – glue, “embol”- wedge (referring to furcula that was once thought to function as an adhesive organ);
 * Misc: Most abundant soil-dwelling arthropods; Appear to have evolved in cold climate;

Diplura (diplurans)

 * Head: Chewing/biting mouthparts; Antennae longer than head w/ 10 bead-like segments; Lack Eyes;
 * Thorax: Wingless; 3 pairs of walking legs, regenerate lost legs through molts, Tarsi 1 segmented; Move thru soil by pushing with wormlike movements or using tunnels/crevices;
 * Abdomen: Abd 10 visible segments, Paired cerci at rear (either pincer like in appearance OR long & slender {means they’re herbivores}), small, eversible vesicles on the ventral side of first 7 abdominal segments that help regulate the body's water balance, possibly by absorbing moisture from the environment;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Sexes are separate & fertilization is external, Males produce sperm packets (spermatophores) & glue them to the substrate on the end of little stalks, Females use their genital opening to gather spermatophores & then lay their eggs on little stalks inside a crevice or small cavity in the ground;
 * Life Cycle: Molt many times throughout life
 * Misc Anatomy: 2-5mm; Whitish in color, cerci usually darker; Elongated body; Some cerci adapted to break off if mishandled (Autotomy);
 * Human Impact: Not pests, Important decomposers
 * Habitat: Grassy places in New Zealand, Australia, Live in moist soil, leaf litter, or humus; Common (but seldom seen because of size & reclusive habits);
 * Diet: Predators OR herbivores if have long cerci; Eat Wide variety of other soil-dwellers, including collembola, mites, symphyla, insect larvae, & even other diplurans OR vegetable debris & fungal mycelia (animal prey preferred);
 * Explanation of Name: “Diplo” – two, “Ura” – tails;
 * Misc: Among the most primitive hexapods

Thysanura (bristletails, silverfish)

 * Head: Short mandibles, unspecialized mouthparts; Antennae long, thread-like, & multi-segmented; Compound eyes small or absent;
 * Thorax: Wingless
 * Abdomen: Abdomen with ten complete segments, 11th segment elongated to form a median cadual filament; 3 cerci (nearly as long as median cadual filament), styliform appendages located on abdominal segments 7-9;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Elaborate Courtship ritual (male spins a silken thread between the substrate & a vertical object then depositsa sperm packet beneath the thread & gets a female to walk through. When her cerci contact the silk thread, she picks up the spermatophore with her genital opening. Sperm enters her reproductive system & she eats the empty sperm packet;
 * Life Cycle: Relatively long lived, 3 years;
 * Misc Anatomy: Less than 1 cm long; Sliver scales covering bodies; Flattened, elongated, oval-shaped;
 * Human Impact: Can cause extensive damage to household goods (wallpaper paste, book bindings, starch, cardboard, paper products);
 * Habitat: Domestic & sylvan (wooded) habitats worldwide; Common; Hide under stones/leaves during the day & emerge after dark for food;
 * Diet: Scavengers/browsers; Eat many things- algae, lichens, or starchy vegetable matter…;
 * Explanation of Name: "thysano-" fringed, ‘ura’- tail; refers to the long, fringed filaments on the abdomen

Ephemeroptera (mayflies)

 * Head: Vestigial mouthparts; Antennae short, bristle like; Compound eyes large, cover most of head;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 membranous, many veins, FW large & triangular, HW smaller & fan-shaped; FL held in front of body;
 * Abdomen: Slender, bearing two (or sometimes three) long terminal filaments; Digestive system is filled with air, making them light enough to float;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Paired genital openings; Males fly in swarms; Females fly into the swarm & are quickly grabbed by a male. Copulation takes place in flight, & the female usually lays her clutch of eggs within minutes or hours.  Males die shortly after mating; females usually die soon after oviposition; (During copulation, the two penes of the male are inserted simultaneously into the two openings of the female.  Sperm is transferred quickly (there is no spermatophore) & eggs are fertilized immediately); a few reproduce parthenogenically (no males have  been found);
 * Life Cycle: When it is done developing as a naiad, it leaves the aquatic environment, often rising to the water surface in a bubble of air, molts to a winged form (the subimago) & flies to a nearby leaf or stem (subimago- a brief transitional stage that molts again into a sexually mature adult (imago)). The imago usually has transparent wings & a smooth, shiny exoskeleton in contrast to the cloudy wings & dull, pubescent body of the subimago; Adults live for a single day;
 * Misc Anatomy: 1-30mm; Color varies (almost clear- brown/black);
 * Human Impact: Ecological indicators of water quality, bait (many popular fishing "flies" are tied to resemble mayflies. Anglers have names for the stages -- dun is the subimago & spinner is the imago), food for fish.  Mass emergences can cause problems;
 * Habitat: Immatures are aquatic
 * Diet: Adults don’t feed (young- algae & other aquatic plant life scavenged from surrounding habitat);
 * Explanation of Name: derived from the Greek "ephemera" meaning short-lived, and "ptera" meaning wings. This is a reference to the short lifespan of most adult mayflies
 * Misc: Some emerge in late April, most in May, can be seen until Sept, in north;

''Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

 * Head: Mandibulate mouthparts; Antennae very short, bristle-like; Compound eyes large, cover most head (3 ocelli), up to 28,000 facets;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 membranous, many veins, similar in size & shape, stigma (distinctively pigmented cell) on leading edge Dragonfly- base of HW broader, Damsel- Base of wings harrow & stock like; Legs used to catch prey/cling to vegetation; Agile fliers;
 * Abdomen: Long and slender
 * Sexual Dimorphism:
 * Life Cycle:
 * Misc Anatomy: Wingspan 20-190mm; Blue, green, yellow…; Damsel- long & slender, Dragon- robust;
 * Human Impact: Beneficial (pest control, mosquitoes), eat bees (pests to beekeepers), can be threat to poultry in some parts of Europe; Transmit Prosthogoniums pellucidus (parasitic flatworm) to chicken;
 * Habitat: Freshwater habitats worldwide, males defend territory;
 * Diet: All carnivorous predators; Eat small insects like mosquitoes & gnats;
 * Explanation of Name: Odonto= “tooth” (strong tooth on mandible), AKA- "snake doctors", "devil's darning needles", & "mosquito hawks";

Information about Immatures/Life Cycle

 * Mouthparts: Nymphs have labial mask adapted for catching prey (folded under throax & head when not in use, can be extended rapidly towards potential prey. Hooked lobes at the tip of the labium grasp or impale the prey & draw it back to the mouth as the labium retracts;
 * Eyes: Nymphs have well-developed compound eyes
 * Thorax: External wingpads in later stages;
 * Misc Anatomy: Around 15-30-60mm; Body robust (dragonflies), Body long & slender (damselflies),
 * Abdomen: 3 leaf-like gills at end of abdomen; dragonfly naiads- gills are located internally within the rectum here bellows-like contractions of the rectal muscles cause oxygenated water to circulate in & out;
 * Diet: Sit-and-wait predators (sit until prey comes, then grabs it with labium); Naiads feed on other aquatic life like mayfly naiads, small crustaceans, annelids, & mollusks;
 * Mating/Courtship: Male grasps female by head/thorax, bends her abdomen so her genetailia can be grasped by organs holding sperm, female bends abdomen to receive sperm; Eggs laid singly in fresh water, females often hover over open water & dip their abdomen as they oviposit.
 * Development:Eggs hatch into aquatic immature (naiads); Develop into instars with 9-14 molts, nymphs grow/molt in dusk/dawn; Spans over a year;''