4.3

• Classification


  Grouping together of individual objects (e.g., insects) by some systems of relationship or association among them
• Taxonomy


  The science of classification, the theory, and practice of classifying organisms
• Systematics


  Deals with how organisms are related to each other and attempt to describe the underlying reason for that relationship
• Key


  A tool that unlocks the door to the identification of an unknown organism
• Importance of Identification


  • Knowing the name of the insect pest is needed to formulate pest control recommendations
  • The name of the organism allows one to obtain information about the life cycle, habits, natural enemies, reproduction and even the control strategies of the insect
• Species


  A fundamental unit of classification; considered the smallest grouping capable of reproduction and the production of fertile offspring
• Morphological characteristics used to distinguish different insect orders

  • Head
  • Mouthparts
  • Antennae
  • Compound eyes
  • Legs
  • Wings
  • Abdomen and its appendage
• Lumpers


  Taxonomy that puts together all related insects in one order
• Lumpers


  • Order Phthiraptera (lice) - lumped

  Order Mallophaga (chewing lice) - old

  Order Anoplura (sucking lice)
• Splitters


  Taxonomy that splits/separates orders into other specific orders
• Splitters


  • Order Mantodea (mantis) - split

  Order Blattodea (cockroaches) - split

  Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, mantis, cockroaches)
• Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Arthropoda, Class: Insecta, Order: Coleoptera, Family: Scarabaeidae, Genus: Oryctes, Species: rhinoceros, Scientific Name: Oryctes rhinoceros L., Common Name: Rhinoceros beetle/ coconut rhinoceros beetle
• Subclass: Apterygota


  • Diplura (two-pronged bristletails)
  • Protura (coneheads)
  • Collembola (springtails)
• Subclass: Pterygota


  • Ephemeroptera (mayflies)
  • Odonata (dragon-/damselfly)
  • Neoptera (bug, beetle, wasp, etc.)
• Neoptera


  • Endopterygota (beetle, wasps, moths, flies, etc.)
  • Hemipteroids (bugs, thrips, lice)
  • Embioptera (web-spinners)
  • Plecoptera (stoneflies)
  • Phasmatodea (stick insects, leaf insects)
  • Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.)
  • Notoptera (ice crawlers, gladiators, rock crawlers)
  • Dermaptera (earwigs)
  • Zoraptera (angel insects)
  • Dictyoptera (Blattodea: cockroaches, termites, Mantodea: mantids)
• Hemipteroids


  • Psocodea (Phthiraptera: lice and Psocoptera: booklice)
  • Thysanoptera (thrips)
  • Hemiptera (bug, cicadas, whiteflies, aphids, etc.)
• Endopterygota


  • Megaloptera (dobsonflies, alderflies, etc.)
  • Raphidioptera (snakeflies)
  • Hymenoptera (wasps, ants, bees and sawflies)
  • Neuroptera (lacewings, antlions, owlflies, etc.)
  • Coleoptera (beetles and weevils)
  • Strepsiptera (twisted-wing endoparasites)
  • Diptera (true flies, mosquitoes, etc.)
  • Mecoptera (scorpionflies, hangingflies)
  • Siphonaptera (fleas)
  • Trichoptera (caddisflies)
  • Lepidoptera (moths, butterflies, skippers)
• Zygentoma


  "zygón": meaning yoke or bridge, "entoma": insects, Old Name: Thysanura – "thysano" or fringed and "ura" or tail, Recognized by their feelers and cerci, Known for their swift movement
• Zygentoma


  • Domestic problem when feeding on starchy material

  Degrade cellulose: can be natural bioreactors for biofuel production
• Zygentoma


  • Firebrat, Thermobia domestica

  Silverfish, Ctenolepisma longicaudata
• Economic importance of Zygentoma


  • May cause extensive damage to household goods e.g., wallpaper paste, book bindings, starch sizing of some textiles, cardboard and other paper products

  Some are scavengers surviving on a wide range of food but seem to prefer algae, lichens, or starchy vegetable matter
• Ephemeroptera


  Derived from "ephemera" – short-lived, "ptera" – wings, In reference to the short lifespan of most adult mayflies
• Ephemeroptera


  • Mayflies
• Economic importance of Ephemeroptera


  • Naiads are ecological indicators of good water quality

  Important source of food for fishes and other aquatic wildlife

  Mass emergence in summer is often regarded as major nuisance

  Mostly herbivores; a few are predaceous
• Odonata


  odṓn (Ionic form of odoús): means tooth, Having very big compound eyes, General feeders and considered as predators in the field
• Odonata


  • Zygoptera: damselflies

  Anisoptera: true dragonflies
• The largest known insect is the fossil dragonfly Meganeura monyi, which had a wingspan of approximately 30cm.
• Economic importance of Odonata


  • Mostly predators of small insects (mosquitoes)

  Regarded as pests by beekeepers (feed on honeybees)
• Phasmatodea


  "phasm": meaning phantom → referring to the cryptic appearance and behavior of this insect, Antennae long, slender, Mouthparts mandibulate, prognathous, Prothorax is shorter than meso- or metathorax, Wings often reduced or absent
• Phasmatodea


  • They are commonly kept as pets and are famous for their superb camouflage (crypsis), resemble leaves, grasses or twigs, damaged leaves
• Economic importance of Phasmatodea

  • Some species are defoliators of forest trees and cause economic losses
• Orthoptera


  "orthos": meaning straight, "pteron": meaning wing, Presence of tegmin (a parchment-like material) in the forewing, Hind wing is a membranous type, With prominent pronotal segment
• Orthoptera


  • Crickets and close relatives

  Grasshoppers, locusts and close relatives
• Economic importance of Orthoptera

  • Associated with agriculture being both minor and major pests as defoliators

  One of the largest and most important groups of plant-feeding insects

  Few species are predatory

  The red-legged grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum) is both a crop pest and intermediate host of tapeworm (Choanotaenia infundibulum) that infests poultry
• Blattodea


  Derived from the word "blatta" meaning cockroach, Antennae slender, setaceous and moniliform, Legs adapted for running (cursorial) and walking (gressorial), Front wings thickened (tegmina), hind wings membranous, pleated (termites: alate and wingless)
• Blattodea


  • American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

  German cockroach (Blattella germanica)

  Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis)

  Termites (Coptotermes spp.)
• Economic importance of Blattodea

  • 99% live in wild (no economic importance)

  Few species in human dwellings throughout the world

  Nocturnal: forage for food and water and contaminate it with their smelly excreta

  Eat book labels and bindings, and may carry a variety of human pathogens

  Dead cockroaches and their feces are important sources of household "dander" that becomes air-borne and provokes respiratory allergies in sensitive people

  Useful as research tools (insect physiology and toxicology)
• Mantodea


  The only insect that can turn head from side to side without moving any other part of the body, Head triangular with well-developed compound eyes, Prothorax elongate with large, spiny front legs adapted for catching prey (raptatorial forelegs), Front wings thickened, more slender than hind legs, Cerci short, multi-segmented
• Economic importance of Mantodea

  • Generally considered highly beneficial insects

  Cannibalistic and may also feed on other beneficial insects

  Thus, their value as biocontrol agents is probably rather limited
• Dermaptera


  With tegmen-like forewing, folded to appear a short one with hindwing neatly folded, Having a forcep-like cerci at the tip of the abdomen, Predator (i.e., corn borer)