TERRESTRIAL ARTHROPOD COLLECTION
PRE-AP BIOLOGY
Purpose:
Arthropods are the most abundant
phylum Arthropoda there is great
investigate the diversity of the
locally and illustrate this with
organisms on Earth. Within the
variety. Your job is to
arthropods that can be found
a small collection.
Insects are everywhere!! Insects are often encountered, at least
with a little searching, in homes, yards, around building
foundations, basements, crawl spaces, flower or vegetable
gardens, around lights at night, near streams and lakes, parks,
and forests. Dead insects in reasonable condition (for
collections) can often be found on windowsills, car grills,
roadsides and walking paths. Some insects are very sedentary and
are easy to catch with a pair of tweezers. Others fly, some
pretty slowly and others (like dragonflies) are FAST! Catching
insects takes some practice.
Materials
Shoebox w/ transparent
top
Styrofoam (to fit
bottom)
Fine straight pins
3X5 notecard (for labels
& triangles)
possibly:
jar with lid
flashlight
handlens
cottonball
nail polish remover
glue
net/drop cloth
References:
Taxonomic key (attached)
Taxonomy Guides (reference books/internet resources) such as:
http://nature.berkeley.edu/citybugs/studentcorner/MakeABugCollect
ion/MakeABugCollection.htm
www.Insectidentification.org/insect-key.asp
Procedure:
In general, you are going to 1) kill the arthropod, 2) pin the
arthropod, and 3) identify the arthropod. Below is a summary of some
of the easier approaches to these steps.
1. Killing the Arthropod –Glue a cotton ball to the lid of a
small jar. Partially dampen the cotton ball with nail polish
remover. Put the arthropod in the jar for several hours. Do
not allow the liquid to get on the specimen. (insect relaxing
chamber) Freezing an insect does not guaranty it will stay
dead.
2. Pinning the Arthropod – pinning varies with the type of
arthropod. In general, you want to make sure that you do not
damage the organism and that it is securely attached to your
display board. Some guidelines to follow are:
-
pins usually do NOT go in the middle of the body
(see diagrams)
butterflies and moths should have their wings
spread out flat
specimens should be suspended on the pin, a little
below the head
hold the specimen between the thumb and forefinger
of one hand and insert the pin with the other
for very tiny insects, use elongated triangles of
cardboard and VERY SMALL amounts of glue to attach
the specimen to the point of the cardboard, then
pin the cardboard (see illustration)
3. Identifying the Arthropod – use a reference manual/guide to
determine the classification of the organism to the level of
Order for all acceptable organisms except millipedes and
centipedes. You are only required to go to the level of Class
for millipedes and centipedes. The identification will go on a
card placed below the specimen.
Requirements of Collection:
Your collection must contain a minimum of 20 specimens, each
correctly preserved, pinned, and identified and displayed in
alphabetical order according to CLASS then ORDER. You should collect
from a variety of classes/orders. All specimens collected must be
typically found in TEXAS. Use caution when collecting venomous
organisms.
Your collection MUST be turned in on _September 27__________.
LATE PROJECTS WILL NOT be accepted!
Attached are examples of guides to the major divisions of
terrestrial arthropods. There are other versions, especially in the
orders of insects. My advice to you is “be consistent”. Try to stick
with ONE classification system, a copy of your chief reference should
be noted. Be sure you can verify your classification for me if I have
a question!
You may collect more than one Arthropod from each of the following
classes or orders but not multiple of the same bug. For instance, you
may have a grasshopper and a cricket but not two grasshoppers. ****NO
TARANTULAS****** You may NOT buy or purchase bugs.
Please see Rubric for specific details on identification labels and
master list. The final product will be a decorated box with a clear
lid, a master list attached to outside of box, 20 insects in
alphabetical order, correctly pinned and identified on a id card under
the bug.
ARTHROPOD CLASSIFICATION
Class: Diplopoda – millipedes
Chilopoda - centipedes
Insecta – insects
Order: Orthoptera – grasshoppers, crickets,
mantids, walkingsticks
Ephemeroptera – mayflies
Thysanura- silverfish, firebrats
Mantodea- mantids
Phasmida- Walking sticks
Diptera – flies and mosquitoes
Lepidoptera – butterflies and moths
Trichoptera – caddis flies
Hymenoptera – ants, wasps, and bees
Neuroptera – dobson flies, lacewings, and ant lions
Mecoptera - scorpionflies
Odonata – dragonflies and damselflies
Homoptera – cicadas, hoppers, aphids
Isoptera - termites
Plecoptera - stoneflies
Hemiptera – true bugs
Anoplura – human lice
Dermaptera - earwigs
Coleoptera - beetles
Siphonaptera – fleas
Blatteria- cockroaches
Malacostraca
Order: Isopoda (only) – pill bugs (aka rolly-pollies)
Arachnida
Order: Scorpiones – scorpions
Acari – mites
Araneae – spiders
GRADING RUBRIC
PROJECT 1: TERRESTRIAL ARTHROPOD COLLECTION
PRE-AP BIOLOGY
STUDENT NAME __________________________________ PERIOD _______
Display (25 points)
Box appropriately decorated w/see-thru lid
Name, class period, and due date on box
Insects neatly and appropriately/alpha order by class/order
Triangular cardboards cleanly cut and uniform
Identification labels typed in 6 to 8 point font or neatly written
Master list of specimens (10 points)
_______/10
_______/5
_______/5
_______/3
_______/2
_______/10
On 3 X 5 notecard
Glued neatly to outside of box
Teacher Discretion (5 points)
_______/5
Comments ___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
COLLECTION – 3 points per specimen (60)
Collected 20 organisms (1 point/specimen)
Identification pinned under each insect (1 points/specimen)
*Classification: Phylum, Subphylum, Class, Order
*Date collected
*County, city & state where collected
*Specimens numbered to match master list
Technique (1 point/specimen)
*Specimens properly pinned
*Pins straight up and down
*Small or soft-bodied organisms on a
triangular cardboard in a vial
*Wings spread (where required)
*No missing/decaying body parts
Lowest Classification
1._______________________
2._______________________
3._______________________
4._______________________
5._______________________
6._______________________
7._______________________
8._______________________
9._______________________
10._______________________
11._______________________
12._______________________
13._______________________
14._______________________
15._______________________
16._______________________
17._______________________
18._______________________
19._______________________
20._______________________
Collection Total ___________/60
Total Points _____________/100
“Bug”
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ID Technique
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1.
KEY TO INSECT ORDERS
A. Insects with wings………………………………………….……………………………….…………………………………………..……Go to 2
B.
Insects without wings or only rudimentary wings……………………………………………………..…………………….…………Go to 16
2.
A. Insects with only one pair of thin, usually transparent wings; second pair replaced with short, pinlike structures (flies, mosquitoes)Order Diptera
B.
Insects with two pairs of wings………………………………………………………………………………….…………………….….Go to 3
3.
A. Two pair of wings not alike in structure (not equal in thickness or transparency) (beetles, true bugs, grasshoppers)…………..Go to 4
B.
Two pairs of wings of similar structure (bees, butterflies, dragonflies)………………..…………………………………..…………Go to 7
4.
A. First pair of wings horny and meeting in a straight line down the back (beetles, earwigs)………………….…………………….…Go to 5
B.
First pair of wings not as in 4A………………………………………………………………….………….…………………………….Go to 6
5.
A. Tip of abdomen with a prominent pair of pincers (earwigs)……………………………..…………………………………………….……Order Dermaptera
B.
Tip of abdomen without pincers (beetles)…………………………………………….…………………………………………………...Order Coleoptera
6.
A. Front wings leathery at base, membranous and overlapping at tip; mouthparts for sucking (true bugs)…………….…………..…Order Hemipterea
B.
Front wings leathery with veins; hind wings folded lengthwise; mouthparts for chewing (crickets, katydids, grasshoppers).….Order Orthoptera
7.
A. Wings wholly or for the most part covered with scales; mouthparts formed for siphoning (moths, butterflies)……….……………Order Lepidoptera
B.
Wings transparent or thinly clothed with hairs (bees, mayflies, dragonflies)………………………………………………………....Go to 8
8.
A. Mouthparts for sucking attached to hind part of lower surface of head; wings when at rest are held like the halves of a roof
(cicadas, aphids, leafhoppers, treehoppers)…………………………………………………………………….……………………….Order Homoptera
B.
Mouthparts not as in 8A………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………Go to 9
9.
A. Body usually brown and slender; insect mothlike with slim antennae; no mouthparts evident except for a pair of slender palpi;
wings frequently hairy, usually broadest beyond the middle; wings held like halves of a roof over abdomen (caddisflies)…...Order Trichoptera
B.
Body and other characteristics not as in 9A…………………………………………………………………………….……………….Go to 10
10.
A. Wings with few or no cross veins (bees, thrips)………………………………………………………………………….…………….…Go to 11
B.
Wings with many cross veins (dragonflies, lacewings)……………………………………..…………………………….……………Go to 12
11.
A. Front wings the larger pair; hind wings frequently hooked to front wings; mouthparts for lapping, chewing, or sucking
(bees, wasps)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Order Hymenoptera
B.
Front wings the same size; wings very narrow; bristly hairs at margin (thrips)…………………………………………………….Order Thysanoptera
12.
A. Front pair of wings much larger than hind pair; wings held vertically above body; long, fragile-jointed tails behind (mayflies)Order Ephemeroptera
B.
Front pair of wings and other characteristics not as in 12 A…………………………….………………………………………..…Go to 13
13.
A. Antennae short and inconspicuous; long slender insects with long narrow wings (damselflies, dragonflies)…………………..Order Odonata
B.
Antennae longer and conspicuous……………………………………………………………………………………………………..Go to 14
14.
A. Abdomen usually with two short appendages; back wings much broader than front wings folded lengthwise (stoneflies)………Order Plecoptera
B.
Abdomen and characteristics not as in 14A………………………………….………………………………………………..………..Go to 15
15.
A. Wings equal in size with many distinct veins; tarsi five-jointed (antlions, lacewings)…………………………………………………Order Neuroptera
B.
Wings equal in size with indistinct veins; tarsi four-jointed; thorax in front of wings very short (termites)………………………..Order Isoptera
16.
A. Insects narrow-waisted, antlike (ants)……………………………………………………………………………………………….……Order Hymenoptera
B.
Insect not narrow-waisted but still antlike……………………………………………………………………………………………….Go to 17
17.
A. Bodies antlike but with wide waists, not flattened, light colored (termites)……………………………………………………………Order Isoptera
B.
Bodies not as in 17A………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….Go to 18
18.
A. Insects small and plump, soft-bodies with small heads, two short tubes extending from back of abdomen; sucking mouthparts
(aphids)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Order Homoptera
B.
Insects not as in 18A…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………...Go to 19
19.
A. Body of insect small and narrow, flattened on the side; sucking mouthparts hind legs for jumping;five tarsal segments (fleas)Order Siphonaptera
B.
Body of insect not as in 19A…………………………………………………………….…………………………………………….…Go to 20
20.
A. Body covered thickly with scales; mouthparts for sucking are absent (butterflies, moths)…………………………………………Order Lepidoptera
B.
Body of insect not as in 20A…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Go to 21
21.
A. Insect very delicate with chewing mouthparts and long, jointed, threadlike tails and antennae (bristletails, firebrats,silverfish)…Order Thysanura
B.
Insect not as in 21A………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………Go to 22
22.
A. Insect delicate with chewing mouthparts; abdomen of six segments; underside of abdomen frequently has a long,
usually double appendage used for leaping (springtails)………………………………………………………………………………..Order Collembola
B.
Insect not as in 22A………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………Go to 23
23.
A. Mouthparts for chewing……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…Go to 24
B.
Mouthparts for sucking………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Go to 25
24.
A. Antennae threadlike; face directed forward and downward (crickets, roaches, grasshoppers, walkingsticks)……………………..Order Orthoptera
B.
Antennae beadlike, clublike or comblike, without prominent forceps at tip of abdomen (beetles)…………………………………Order Coleoptera
25.
A. Insect apparently legless, frequently covered with a waxy scale; insect usually tightly attached to plant leaves or stems (scale
insects)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Order Homoptera
B.
Insect with well developed legs with a sucking beak that arises at front of head and held between legs (true bugs)…………….Order Hemiptera