External Morphology of Adult Insects

Exercise for ENY 4161/6166 - Distance Education Sections

Collect a large insect. Use this specimen to complete the following exercise. Be sure to keep the specimen, properly labeled, for your collection. Indicate on the label that this specimen was used for this morphology exercise.

Regardless of the insect you might be looking at, certain morphological characters and terms need to be understood and able to be located. This exercise is intended to introduce you to some of the more common morphological terms. You will be asked a few questions, and also be asked to illustrate certain characters on the specimen you have collected. While artistic ability is not a prerequisite, be sure to draw the structures as you see them so we can check to make sure you have recognized the proper structures. Each of you will probably have a different specimen to work with.

If you wish to review basic morphology terminology, view pages dealing with external characters of the Eastern Lubber grasshopper view pages on this disk and avoid having to go to the Internet. After refeshing your memory about adult morphology, use your specimen to answer the following questions.

Questions

Enter your full name:
  1. List the three major body regions of an adult insect (anterior to posterior).
  2. Which unique body segment contains the following?
a. First (anterior) pair of legs
b. Front wings, elytra, or tegmina
c. Hind wings, wing buds
d. Antennae
e. Cerci
f. Halter, haltere
g. Ocellus, ocelli
h. Mesosternum
Be sure to print your answers before you submit the form. This will serve as backup in case the electronic submission fails.

Drawings

Draw and label the following structures/regions. You may mail your answers to the questions (if email submission doesn't work) along with your drawings. Be sure to include your name on all drawings and answer sheets.

Not all insects will exhibit every structure listed below. For example, mouthparts vary significantly, from vestigial or lacking to fully developed mandibles or beak. Wings may be lacking, reduced to small buds, 1 pair or 2 pair. When 2 pairs of wings are present, the front pair may be modified into a hardened cover as elytron or tegmen.

  1. Overall dorsal (top view) aspect of your insect: label scutellum, antennae, wings or elytra
  2. Draw antennae, label scape, pedicel, flagellum (outer segments)
  3. Draw front, middle, and hind legs, label leg segments; label segments of each leg, and number the tarsal segments.
  4. Draw frontal view of head, label mouthparts if present (beak, mandibles), labrum, clypeus, and frons, ocelli if present.
  5. Draw ventral (underside) view of your specimen, indicating the 3 thoracic segments and all abdominal segments. Label prosternum, mesosternum, metasternum.
FAX or Mail your drawings to me at:

Paul Choate
Entomology and Nematology Department
Bldg 970 Natural Area Drive
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611
FAX: 352-392-0190

Please complete the lesson certification form when you have finished.

Email the instructor