Insects

• Insects have three body regions - head, thorax, abdomen
• Physical characteristics of Tilapia:

  • Eyes are large and have no eyelids
  • Dorsal fin is protected by a layer of transparent membrane
  • Lateral line scales provide a wide field of view
  • Caudal fin functions for swimming
• Streamlined shape/body of Tilapia:

  • Absence of neck
  • Backwardly overlapping smooth and slimy scales
• Functions of scales in Tilapia:

  • Protection
  • Provides streamlined effect for movement
  • Prevents influx of water by osmosis
• Lateral line in Tilapia:

  • Marks the position of the sense organ that detects vibration in water
  • Made up of sensory cells lining a canal with thick fluid
• Nostrils in Tilapia:

  • Functions for smell to escape dangers and detect food
• Operculum in Tilapia:

  • Made of bones
  • Functions to protect the gills, cover the gills, aid in breathing, and feeding
• Mouth in Tilapia:

  • Wide mouth for respiration, feeding, incubation of eggs, and parental care of young ones
• Fins in Tilapia:

  • Paired fins (pectoral and pelvic fins) provide steering, braking, and control of pitching
  • Caudal fin provides forward force and steering
  • Dorsal and anal fins prevent rolling sideways and yawing
• Colour of Tilapia:

  • Dark dorsal part blends with dark water to escape predators
  • Light ventral part blends with the sky to escape predators
• Swim bladder in Tilapia:

  • Gas-filled sac for buoyancy to move up and down without swimming
• Respiratory structure of Tilapia:

  • Gills for gaseous exchange
  • Operculum covers and protects gills
  • Gill filaments rich in blood capillaries for gaseous exchange
• Adaptive features of Tilapia:

  • Gills for gaseous exchange
  • Fins for swimming, balancing, and steering
  • Scales for protection and streamlined effect
  • Eyes for wide vision
  • Nostrils for smell to escape dangers
  • Operculum to protect gills and aid in gaseous exchange and feeding
• Respiration in Tilapia:

  • Gills used for respiration
  • Water enters mouth, passes over gill filaments for oxygen exchange
  • Unidirectional flow of water for respiration adaptation
• Adaptations for locomotion in water in Tilapia:

  • Dorsal and ventral fins for balancing
  • Tail fins for propulsion and steering
  • Pectoral and pelvic fins for steering, braking, and reduction of pitching
  • Swim bladder for buoyancy
  • Streamlined effect provided by scales and absence of neck
• General characteristics of bony fish:

  • Presence of fins, opercula, and gills
• Economic importance of Tilapia:

  • Source of food/protein
  • Can control malaria by feeding on mosquito larvae
  • Fish farming is a source of income
• Food substances obtained in Tilapia:

  • Protein
  • Vitamin
• Antennas detect chemicals and vibrations in the air.
• Compound eyes are made up of many small lenses called ommatidia which allow the insect to see multiple images at once.
• Some insects have only one pair of wings (e.g. dragonflies) or no wings at all (e.g. beetles)
• Insects are cold-blooded, meaning they cannot regulate their body temperature internally.
• The compound eyes are made up of many small facets that can move independently to focus on different objects.
• Insects have three body regions: head, thorax, abdomen.
• The compound eye has no blind spot because it consists of thousands of individual photoreceptors that can be activated independently.
• Insects have two main types of sensory receptors: mechanosensory (touch) and chemosensory (smell).
• The exoskeleton protects the soft internal organs from predators and provides support for muscles.
• Insects have two pairs of wings attached to the thorax.
• Insects use their antennae to sense their environment and communicate with other members of their species.
• The thorax has six legs attached to it.
• Insects have six legs attached to the thorax.
• Moulting occurs when an insect sheds its old exoskeleton as it grows.
• Insects have three main parts - head, thorax, and abdomen.
• Insects have an exoskeleton that protects them from predators and helps retain moisture.
• Compound eyes allow insects to see multiple images simultaneously, giving them excellent peripheral vision.
• Insects are cold-blooded animals, meaning they rely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature.
• Antennas are used by male moths to detect female pheromones during courtship.
• Insects have two pairs of antennae located near the front of the head.