Name
Date
Class
Name: _________________________________________ Homeroom: __________________________
2
Laboratory
Activity
Grasshopper Anatomy
Grasshopper Dissection
A grasshopper is well adapted to its way of life. Its features are representative of the insect
group. A grasshopper is large enough that its features can be seen easily.
Procedure:
Materials:
Strategy
Part will
A—External
Structure
You
observe and
identify the specialized body parts of the grasshopper.
Dissection pan
You will examine and identify the internal structure of the grasshopper.
Grasshopper (preserved)
1. Place the grasshopper in the dissecting pan. Locate the head,
Materials
thorax, and abdomen. (See Figure 1.) Use your hand lens to
dissection kit
dissecting pins
magnifying lens
dissecting
observe pan
the grasshopper carefully. As you observe, record your
grasshopper
(preserved)
data in Observations.
hand lens
forceps
2. Observe the parts of the head. The grasshopper has two compound eyes and three simple eyes.
dissecting
scissors
The sensory
parts located on the head are antennae.
Figure 2
Procedure
3.443G-1-54-mss02-827205
Identify the mouth
parts.
toimpos05
Figure
2.) With your forceps, remove the parts. The labrum
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2:30(Refer
PM Page 13
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Part
A—External Structure
is the the
hinged
upper lip that
is used
to holdpan.
food. The mandibles are crushing jaws. The
1. Place
grasshopper
in the
dissecting
maxillae
usedthorax,
to chewand
and abdomen.
taste food. The labium is the broad, fat lower lip used to hold
Locate
thearehead,
food Figure
while it1.)
is being
chewed.
(See
Use your
hand lens to
Name
Date
Class
observe the grasshopper carefully. As you
Mandible
(jaw)
Maxillae
4. observe,
Locate the
eardrums
tympana,
small
record
yourordata
in Data
anddrum-shaped structures on either side of the thorax.
Observations.
Grasshopper
Anatomy
5. All insects have six legs.Laboratory
In the grasshopper,
the front pair is
used for walking, climbing, and
2. Observe the parts of the
head.
The
Activity
holding food. The middle legs are used for walking and climbing. The hind legs are large and
grasshopper has two compound eyes and
enable the grasshopper
to jump.
A grasshopper
is wellparts
adapted to its way of life. Its features are representative of the insect
three simple eyes.
The sensory
group. A grasshopper is large enough that its features can be seen easily.
on two
the head
arewings.
antennae.
6. located
Locate the
pairs of
Strategy
Labrum (upper lip)
3. Identify the mouth parts. (Refer to Figure 2.)
Labium
lip)
You will observe and identify the specialized body parts
of the(lower
grasshopper.
With
your
forceps,
remove
the
parts.
The
7. Use the handYou
lenswill
toexamine
look at and
the identify
tiny openings
along
the abdomen.
These are breathing pores
the internal
structure
of the grasshopper.
labrum
is
the
hinged
upper
lip
that
is
used
to
4. Locate
theleaves.
eardrums or tympana, small
called spiracles through which oxygen enters and carbon
dioxide
Materials
hold food. The
mandibles are crushing jaws.
drum-shaped
structures on either side of
dissecting pan
The
maxillae
are
used
to
chew
and
taste
8. A female grasshopper
a much longer abdomen thanthe
a male.
It ends in a four- pointed tip,
thorax.
grasshopperhas
(preserved)
food.
labium
is the
broad,
fat lower
hand lens
calledThe
an ovipositor,
through
which
eggs lip
are laid. 5. All insects have six legs. In the grasshopper,
used to hold forceps
food while it is being chewed.
the front pair is used for walking, climbing,
dissecting scissors
Figure 1
and
holding food. The middle legs are used
Figure 2
Procedure
for
walking
and climbing. The hind legs are
Antenna
Tympanum
(eardrum)
Part A—External
Structure
Simple eye1. Place the grasshopper in the dissecting pan. large and enable the grasshopper to jump.
Forewing
Locate
Compound
eye the head, thorax, and abdomen. 6. Locate the two pairs of wings.
(See Figure 1.) Use your hand lens to
7. Use the hand lens to look at the tiny openobserve the grasshopper carefully. As you
Mandible
(jaw)the abdomen. These Maxillae
ings
along
are breathobserve, record your data in Data and
ing
pores
called
spiracles
through
which
Observations.
oxygen enters and carbon dioxide leaves.
2. Observe the parts of the head. The
grasshopper has two compound eyes and 8. A female grasshopper has a much longer
three simple eyes. The sensory parts
abdomen than a male. It ends in a fourlocated on the head are antennae.
pointed tip, called an ovipositor, through
Foreleg 3. Identify the mouth
Spiracles
Labrum (upper lip)
parts. (Refer
to
Figure
2.)
Ovipositor
which Labium
eggs are
(lowerlaid.
lip)
With your forceps, remove the parts. The
vision of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
labrum is the hinged upper lip that is used to
hold food. The mandibles are crushing jaws.
The maxillae are used to chew and taste
food. The labium is the broad, fat lower lip
used to hold food while it is being chewed.
Hands-On Activities
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
2
4. Locate the eardrums or tympana, small
drum-shaped structures on
either sideAnimals
of
Invertebrate
the thorax.
5. All insects have six legs. In the grasshopper,
13
Name: _________________________________________ Homeroom: __________________________
Part B—Internal Structure
1. Remove the three left legs. Insert the point of your scissors under the top surface of the last
segment of the abdomen. Make a cut to the left of the mid-dorsal line. Be careful not to cut the
organs underneath. In front of the thorax, cut down the left side to the bottom of the
grasshopper. Cut down between the next to the last and last abdominal segments.
WARNING: Always be careful with all sharp objects.
2. Use your forceps to pull down the left side. Locate the large dorsal blood vessel.
3. Use your scissors to cut the muscles close to the exoskeleton. Locate the finely branched
trachea leading to the spiracles.
4. Cut through the exoskeleton over the top of the head between the left antenna and left eye to
the mouth. Remove the exoskeleton on the left side of the head. Find the dorsal ganglion or
brain.
5. Cut away the tissue to show the digestive system. Refer to Figure 3 and identify the mouth,
esophagus, crop, gizzard, and stomach. Note that the gizzard and stomach are separated by a
narrow place. The digestive glands, called gastric caeca, that secrete enzymes into the stomach
are attached here.
6. Another narrow place separates the stomach from the intestine. Malpighian tubes, which
collect wastes from the blood, are located here.
7. Observe the colon, which enlarges to form the rectum. Wastes collect here before passing out
the anus.
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8. In the female, the ovary is located above the intestines. In the male, a series of whitish tubes,
the testes, are located above the intestine.
Name
Date
Class
9. WARNING: Give all dissected materials to your teacher for disposal. Always wash your hands
after
a dissectionActivity
procedure.
Laboratory
2 (continued)
Hands-On Activities
Figure 3
Crop
Gizzard
Gastric caeca
Heart
Ovary
Intestine
Rectum
Brain
Anus
Esophagus
Mouth
Colon
Ventral nerve cord
Part B—Internal Structure
1. Remove the three left legs. Insert the point of
your scissors under the top surface of the last
Stomach
Malpighian tubes
5. Cut away the tissue to show the digestive
system. Refer to Figure 3 and identify the
mouth, esophagus, crop, gizzard, and
stomach. Note that the gizzard and
Name: _________________________________________ Homeroom: __________________________
Observations:
Sketch of external parts of grasshopper. May include actual picture of grasshopper.
Label antenna, simple eye, compound eye, foreleg, eardrums, forewing, spiracles.
Sketch of external parts of grasshopper head. May include actual picture of grasshopper.
Label antenna, simple eye, compound eye, mandible, maxillae, labium, and labrum.
Name: _________________________________________ Homeroom: __________________________
Sketch of the interior of grasshopper. May include actual picture of grasshopper.
Label mouth, brain, esophagus, crop, gizzard, heart, stomach, rectum, anus, and ventral nerve
cord.
Conclusion:
1. What are the three sections of a grasshopper’s body?
2. Describe the function of the following parts: eyes, antennae, labrum, mandibles, maxillae,
labium, eardrums, legs (front, middle, and hind), wings, spiracles, rectum
3. How is a grasshopper’s mouth adapted for plant eating?
4. What is the difference between a grasshopper’s skeleton and yours?