Portal:Insects

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The Insects Portal

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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West Nile virus

West Nile fever is an infection by the West Nile virus, which is typically spread by mosquitoes. In about 80% of infections people have few or no symptoms. About 20% of people develop a fever, headache, vomiting, or a rash. In less than 1% of people, encephalitis or meningitis occurs, with associated neck stiffness, confusion, or seizures. Recovery may take weeks to months. The risk of death among those in whom the nervous system is affected is about 10 percent.

West Nile virus (WNV) is usually spread by mosquitoes that become infected when they feed on infected birds, which often carry the disease. Rarely the virus is spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, or from mother to baby during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding, but it otherwise does not spread directly between people. Risks for severe disease include being over 60 years old and having other health problems. Diagnosis is typically based on symptoms and blood tests. (Full article...)

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... that molecular phylogenetics suggests that Pthirus gorillae jumped from gorillas to early humans about 3.3 million years ago and speciated into the present day pubic louse?
... that Austroplatypus incompertus forms colonies in the heartwood of some Eucalyptus trees and was the first beetle recognized as eusocial?
... that Mimoides phaon was the first swallowtail butterfly of the genus Mimoides to stray into the United States?
... that the "orchid dupe wasp", Lissopimpla excelsa, ejaculates visible amounts of semen as it tries to copulate with flowers of the leafless-, large- and tartan- tongue orchids, which it mistakes for a female wasp?
... that the oriental mole cricket, Gryllotalpa orientalis, can not only dig a burrow a metre deep but can also swim?

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

Image 1Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 2A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 3Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 4Venation of insect wings, based on the Comstock-Needham system (from Insect morphology)
Image 5Mandibles of Rhyniognatha hirsti, it may be an oldest insect, but also possible to be a myriapod. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 6Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 7Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 8Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 9Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 10Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 11Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 12Reconstruction Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
Image 13
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 14A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 15Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 16The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (from Insect morphology)
Image 17Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)
Image 18Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 19Hoverfly (Philhelius pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 20Closeup of a fire ant, showing fine sensory hairs on antennae (from Insect morphology)
Image 21Larva of beetle, family Cerambycidae, showing sclerotised epicranium; rest of body hardly sclerotised (from Insect morphology)
Image 22Diagram of a typical insect leg (from Insect morphology)
Image 23Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 24Head 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 25Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 26Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 27Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 28Larva of Syrphid fly, member of Cyclorrhapha, without epicranium, almost without sclerotisation apart from its jaws. (from Insect morphology)
Image 29The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 30Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 31The 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 32The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature, as do mayflies. (from Insect flight)

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Credit: Noodle snacks

Abantiades latipennis (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) is one of fourteen species in the Australian genus Abantiades. It thrives in regrowth forests that were previously clearfelled; the phytophagous larvae of A. latipennis feed primarily on the root systems of two species of tree, Eucalyptus obliqua (messmate stringybark) and Eucalyptus regnans (mountain ash).

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WikiProject Insects

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