Coleoptera

'beetles'

4 Coleoptera sub orders?

1. Archostemata

2. Mxyophaga

3. Adephaga

4. Polyphaga

Coleoptera

Sub order:

ARCHOSTEMATA

-basal order

-first appeared 290-248 MYA (permian)

-mostly found in decaying wood, feeding on fungi

Coleoptera

Sub order:

ADEPHAGA

-2nd largest subO

-mostly predacous

-terretrial & aquatic

-diving beetles & whirlygig beetles & tiger beetles

Adaphagos in greek means:

gluttonous

Coleoptera

Sub order:

MYXPHAGA

-smallest subO

-algal feeders

Coleoptera

Sub order:

POLYPHAGA

-largest beetle subO

-mostly herbivorous

Burying beetles

-parents cooperate & sometimes the male has multiple partners

Scarab beetles

-3 to 7 segmented, fan-like or lamellate antennal clubs

-important recyclers

-important religious symbol in ancient Egypt

-Khepri (The Being) was shown as a man with a scarab as his head

-in Egyptian times scarabs were associated with life and rebirth

Jewel beetles

-majority are metallic green, blue and red with contrasting markings

-some species contain paired infra-red detectors aka heat sensing organs that allow insects to find suitable mating and egg laying sites from several kilometers away

Leaf beetles

-all herbivorous

-larvae feed externally, or bore into stems, roots and leaves

-many are pests

Cotton boll weevils

-migrated into the US from mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all US cotton-growing areas by the 1920's

-boll weevil eradication plan (1978) has allowed cultivation to resume

Bugs as pests to trees

-BARK BEETLES bore into the cambium of trees

-ASIAN LONG-HORNED BEETLE from China attacks maple trees

Southern pine beetle

-smaller than a grain of rice

-one of the most serious pests of pine

ladybird beetles

-predacious on soft-bodied insects

-adults use reflex bleeding

reflex bleeding

toxic fluids ooze out of joints (especially the knees) and deter would-be predators

death watch beetles

larvae that feed on wood are often called "woodworms"

strepsiptera

'streptispterans'

strepsiptera

-endoparasites of insects

-sexes are highly dimorphic

-usually found in bugs, wasps and bees

-females NEOTENOUS (retaining features of the immature stages in the adult)

-only the cephalothorax is visible for females

-females give birth to many thousands of tiny, six-legged, first instar larvae, called TRIUNGULINS

-triungulins try to find immature stages of appropriate host

more strepsiptera

-require a specific host to complete development

-if the host are exopterygotes (e.g. grasshoppers or bugs), triungulins are shed as the host moves about

-if the hosts are social hymenoptera, triungulins emerge when the host visits a flower, here they sit until a suitable host arrives

-cause parasitic castration (their host cannot reproduce)

-used in pest control in texas one species attacks fire ants

-in texas, female triungulins attach to bush crickets, but males attack to fire ants

mecoptera

'scorpion flies and fleas'

mecoptera

-are closely related to flies (diptera)

-antennae are thread-like with up to 60 segments

-some (e.g. panorpids) rob prey from orb webs

mecoptera reproduction

-usually takes place in the dark

-eggs laid in small groups in soil

-males often try to wrestle other males during copulation, some will also steal nuptial gifts

mecoptera - fleas

-small, wingless ectoparasites on mammals and some birds

-blood feeders

-most are parasitic on land mammals (>90%)

-most fleas do NOT live on their hosts all the time

mecoptera - fleas as pests

-best known disease associated is Black Death (or bubonic plague)

-caused by bacterium (yersina pestis), which is primarily a disease of rodents

-fleas pick up the bacteria during blood meal on infected rat

-transmission occurs bc bacteria multiply and block midgut, infected blood is pumped back into host

diptera

'flies'

diptera

-one pair of functional wings (altho some wingless)

-4th largest order

-halteres; out of phase they provide vital info to flight system to keep insect flying straight

-two basic types of mouthparts (biting/sucking and licking/sponging)

-20% of all fly species are parasitoids

beneficial to the function of ecosystems as diptera:

-pollinators

-parasites

-predators

-decomposition and recycling

giant stinky flowers (Raffleisa) attract flies, act as pollinators

weighs more than a bowling ball

mosquito mouthparts

-to penetrate skin, stylet bundle is sawed thru the tissue towards a blood vessel

-the labium folds back on itself

-saliva is pumped down the hypopharynx

-blood meal is sucked back up food canal

housefly mouthparts

-paired labial palps located at the end of proboscis, form a sponge-like structure (labellum)

-saliva pumped down hypopharynx onto underside of labellum

-food then drawn up back into food canal

-PSEUDOTRACHEA direct saliva across food

diptera reproduction

-swarming displays

-sound production

-dances

-nuptial gifts

-pheromones

3 diptera sub orders:

1. Nematocera

2. Brachycera (Orthorrhapha)

3. Brachycera (Cyclorrhpaha)

suborder Nematocera

-larvae are mostly detrivorous or filter feeders

-well defined head capsule (EUCEPHALIC)

-mandibles move in a horizontal plane

-adults have thread-like antennae with at least 6 segments (usually more)

-maxillary palps are long

suborder Brachycera - Orthorrhapha

-larvae have reduced head capsule (HEMICEPHALIC)

-larvae are mostly predacous or parasitic

-adults have short antennae, less than 6 segments

-last segment is elongate or with bristle-like antennae

-maxillary palps are short

suborder Brachycera - Cyclorrhapha

-most species are sapropahgous

-head capsule is vestigial, retractable (ACEPHALIC) and the mandibles are absent (REPLCAED WITH SPECIALIZED MOUTH HOOKS)

-adult last antennae segment is elongate or with bristle-like arista

-maxillary palps are short

flies are vectors for these human diseases:

-dengue fever

-encephalitis

-filariasis

-malaria

-sleeping sickness

-yellow fever

tsetse flies

-both males and females need a blood meal every 2-3 days

-vectors for sleeping sickness

trichoptera

'caddisflies'

trichoptera

-aquatic larvae, typically in self-constructed cases or shelters

-nocturnal and moth-like

-closely related to leps but w/o a proboscis

-adults have weakly deveolped mouthparts

-wings are membranous and held over body in a tent-like manner

-in flight, hind wings are coupled with front wings using special curved hairs

trichoptera cnt.

-larval cases made from shells, pebbles, sticks

-held together with silk secreted from glands in the head

-pair of hooked prolegs to anchor the larva in case

-apneustic (no spiracles)

-entire cycle usually takes 1 year

-eggs are produced in masses or strings enveloped in jelly-like substance

lepidoptera

'butterflies and moths'

lepidoptera

-scales, proboscis

-3rd largest order

-wings involved in thermoregulation, dark color absorbs light, light color reflect light

-first lep appeared in jurassic with dinosaurs

-only 2 of superfams is butterfly, rest moths

2 types of mimicry

batsian & mullerian

batesian mimicry

palatable (edible) butterflies copy unpalatable butterflies

mullerian mimicry

two unpalatable (unedible) species show similar warning coloration

key lep superfamilies:

-Tineoidea

-Yponomeutoidea

-Torticoidea

-Sesiodea

-Pyraloidea

-Geometroidea

-Hesperioidea

-Papilionoidea

-Lasiocampoidea

-Bombycoidea

-Noctuidea

Lep superfam - Tineoidea

-most scavengers

-larvae make a tunnel or web of silk wherever they feed, or construct a protable case from silk & debris

-largest family

-attack fur, wool, textiles, dry food

Lep superfam - Yponomeuoidea

-one species particially significant (diamondback moth)

-major pest on cabbage, broccolo, canola

Lep superfam - Tortricoidea

-generalist feeders

-many species tie or roll leaves together with silk, others bore into fruit, seeds, or stems

Lep superfam - Sesoidea

-often mimic wasps or bees by having large areas of their ings clear of scales

-can also have a banded abdomen and buzzing flight

Lep superfam - Pyraloidae

-front of the head has small snout formed by elongate palps held outstretched

-tympana organs on abdomen

Lep superfam - Geometroidae

-name means 'earth measurer'

-prolegs on 6th and 10th abdominal segments

-adults are usually nocturnal

Lep superfam - Papilionoidae

-swallowtails (Papilioinidae)

-whites, sulfurs and orange tips (Pieridae)

-brush-foot butterflies (Nymphalidae)

-blues, copper and hairstreaks (Lycaenidae)

hesperioidea

end of antennae characteristically in an elongated club

Lep superfam - Bombycoidea

-silkworms (Bombycidae)

-hawk moths (sphigids) are large moths with a long proboscis that is curled under the head when not in use

-some resemble bees and hummingbirds as they hover at flowers

Lep superfam - Noctuoidea

-caterpillars are called cutworms, armyworms and loopers

hymenoptera

'sawflies, wasps, bees and ants'

hymenoptera

-body usually with constricted waist

-some species live in social colonies

-ovipositor may be modified to sting

-2nd largest order

-parasitism and carnivory may have arisen via inquiline species; they live in the nest or home of another species w/o causing harm

hymenoptera - 2 suborders

1. Symphata

2. Apocrita

symphata

-basal

-primitive hymenoptera

-herbivorous

-females have saw-like ovipositor

apocrita

-most derived

-waist allows for maneuverability for egg laying and defense

-parasitic have slender and sometimes, very elongate ovipositor for penetrating and laying eggs in other insects

-aculeate (e.g. honey bees and social wasps) have modified ovipositor to sting with an associated poison gland

3 segments in apocrita

1st segment of abdomen (proodeum) is fused to thorax

2nd and sometimes 3rd abdominal segments are narrow and form petiole

swollen remainder of abdomen behind petiole is gaster or metasoma

3 segments in order (left to right)

propodeum - petiole - gastor/metasoma

2 types of hymenoptera larvae

-caterpiller-like (Symphyta); sawfly larvae have well-defined head capsule, three pairs of thoracic legs and abdominal prolegs

-grub-like (Apocrita); honey bees and social wasps; tend to be simple and maggot-like with no legs and a reduced head capsule

idiobonts

parasitoids that paralyze their host when laying an egg (usually ectoparasitoids)

koinobionts

do not paralyze its host, and the larvae deveolp inside their hosts (endoparasitoids)

hyperparasitoids

species that are parasitoids of other parasitoids

hymenoptera superfamilies:

-Siricoidea

-Tenthredinoidea

-Ichneumonoidea

-Cynipoidea

-Chalcidoidea

-Chrysidoidea

-Vespoidea

-Formicidae

-Specoidea

-Apoidea

-Apidae

Hymenoptera subfam - Siricoidea

-large and stout and often strikingly colored; black or metallic blue, or with yellow hornet-like markings

-end of abdomen has a distinctive terminal spine; it is sjort in males and spear-like in females

Hymenoptera subfam - Tenthredinoidea

-larvae feeding on tree leaves, including pines, and are gregarious and warning colored (aposematic)

Hymenoptera subfam - Ichneumonoidea

-typically ecto- and endoparasitoids of larvae and pupae of holometabolous insects, altho some are hyperparasitoids

-braconids tend to be parasitoids of hemimetabolous insects, usch as bugs, barklice and termites

Hymenoptera subfam - Cynipoidea

-many species use oaks and related trees as their host plants

Hymenoptera subfam - Chalcidoidea

-some are herbivorous or seed feeders or gall formers

-includes fig wasps (in the fam Agaonidae)

Hymenoptera subfam - Vespoidea

-velvent ants (Mutillidae), males have wings but females wingless

-eggs laid in developing bee larvae

Hymenoptera subfam - Formicidae

-ants vital in nutrient recycling plant dispersal

-they move more earth than earthworms

-many ants have close assoc w/plants which may provide them w/homes in the forms of galls or larger domatia (ant homes)

Hymenoptera subfam - Sphecoidea

-contains the solitary hunting wasps, digger wasps, and sand wasps

-think tarantula hawk wasp

Hymenoptera subfam - Apidae

-bumble bees hairy & stout; honey bees smaller and slender

-cobiculum or pollen basket is specialized pollen carrying apparatus

-highly social, live in colonies with queen, males and sterile worker females

-beekeeping goes back to 2000 BC

-colony has 1 queen, 40-80,000 workers, few hundred male/drone bees (to fertilize new queens)

-round dance (food is nearby)

-waggle dance (food farther)