INSECT CLASSIFICATION
KIND PHILLIP CAME OVER FOR GOOD
SPAGHETTI !!!
Phyllum Arthropoda
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Exoskeleton
Segmented legs & body
Bilateral symmetry
Ventral nerve cord
Dorsal blood pump
Class Arachnida (arachnids): spiders, scorpions, ticks,
mites, etc.
Arachnids possess: 2 body segments - cephalothorax
and abdomen
8 legs; 1 pair of chelicerae; no antennae
Class Chilopoda (centipedes)
Chilipods possess: many body segments
1 pair of legs per body segment; 1 pair of antennae
1st pair of legs modified into venomous fangs
Class Diplopoda (millipedes)
Diplopods possess: Many body segments
2 pair of legs per body segment; 1 pair of antennae
Class Crustacea (crustaceans): crabs, shrimp, barnacles,
sowbugs, etc.
Crustaceans possess: Several body segments - head, thorax
and abdomen
Segments may be fused; Varied number of legs
2 pairs of antennae
Class Insecta (Insects); beetles, bugs, wasps,
moths, flies, etc.
Insects possess: 3 body segments
6 legs
1 pair of antennae
Diverse modifications to appendages
KINGDOM
DIVISION
CLASS
ORDER
FAMILY
GENUS
SPECIES
KINGDOM
Animalia
PHYLUM
Arthropoda
CLASS
Insecta
ORDER
Hymenoptera
FAMILY
Apidae
GENUS
SPECIES
Apis
melifera
BIONOMIAL
NOMENCLATURE
Apis melifera L.
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2 part scientific naming of species
First part of the name identifies the genus to which the species
belongs
The second part identifies the species within the genus
Designated in Latin
First adopted by Carl Linnaeus in 1753
KINGDOM
Plantae
Tracheophyta
PHYLUM
CLASS
Angiospermae
ORDER
Sapindales
FAMILY
Aceraceae
GENUS
SPECIES
Acer
rubrum
KINGDOM
Animalia
Chordata
PHYLUM
CLASS
Mammalia
Primatales
ORDER
FAMILY
Hominidae
GENUS
SPECIES
Homo
sapian
Insect classification
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Approx. 30 orders of insects
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Classified by
 type of development
 type of mouthparts
 wings (number and placement)
Order Orthoptera
Crickets
Grasshoppers
Order Orthoptera
Simple
development
Chewing mouthparts
Two pairs of wings/
first set are thickened and
leather-like
Orthoptera wings
Posterior wings are light
for flying
Orthoptera
Order Dermaptera
Earwings
Order Dermaptera
 Short
wing covers-second pair not
always developed
 Simple development
 Chewing mouthparts
 Have terminal forceps
 20 species in North America
Order Hemiptera – True Bugs
 Bed
bugs
 Stink bugs
 Wheelback bug
Order Hemiptera
 Simple
development
 Sucking mouthparts
 Two pairs of wings (hemelytron forewing)
Order Homoptera
 Leafhoppers
 Cicadas
 aphids
Suborder Homoptera
•Simple development
•Sucking mouthparts
•Two pairs of membrane type wings
Adult cicada
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2
Order Lepidoptera
 Butterflies
 Moths
Order Lepidoptera
•Complete development-larvae are
caterpillars
•Larvae have chewing mouth parts
•Two pairs of wings, covered with scales
Scaled wings
Order Coleoptera
 Beetles
Order Coleoptera
•Complete development- larvae are grubs
•Chewing mouthparts larvae and adults
•Two pairs of wings-first hardened into
wing covers (elytra)
Adult beetle
Order Coleoptera
<wing cover
Asian Lady Beetle
Japanese beetle grubs
< 3 pairs of legs
Order Diptera- Flies
•Complete development-larvae are
maggots
•Chewing mouthparts in larvae/
variable in adults
•Adults only have 1 pair of wings
Horse fly
< 1 pair of wings
Rat-tailed maggots
larvae have no legs
Order Hymenoptera
 Bees
 Wasps
 Ants
 Sawflies
Order Hymenoptera
•Complete development-larvae are
maggot like
•Chewing mouthparts in larvae
•Two pairs of wings
• both membrane-like hooked together
to work as one
Elm sawfly adult
Hymenoptera wings
Sawfly larvae
Order Ephemeroptera
• mayflies
Order Ephemeroptera
• Delicate bodies with four wings (front pair
much larger) many cross veins
• Mouth parts of the chewing type but
rudimetary
• Incomplete development, aquatic larval
stage
Order Odonata
 Dragon
flies
 Damsel flies
Order Odonata
 Adults
have 4 wings of equal size,
membranous
 Chewing mouthparts, well developed
 Incomplete development, aquatic larval
stage
Order Neuroptera
• Dobson flies
• Lacewings
Order Neuroptera
• Chewing and biting mouthparts
• Feed on other insects and small
animals
• Four wings, well veined
• Complete metamorphosis
Order Trichoptera
• Caddis flies
Order Trichoptera
• Soft bodied
• Four membranous wings with numerous
longitudinal veins
• Mouth parts rudimentary
• Antennae and legs are long
• Complete development
Order Thysanura
• silverfish
Order Thysanura
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Apterygota (no wings)
Ametabolous developement
Abdomen has 11 segments
Covered in scales
Order Mantodea
• Praying mantids
Order Mantodea
• Predatory insects closely related to
roaches
• Front pair of legs are armed with
strong spines to grasp prey
• Four wings, membranous with soft
covering
• Incomplete development
Order Blattaria
• Roaches
Order Blattaria
• 4,000 species worldwide
• Cursorial (adapted for running)
• Wings are generally present though in
some they are much reduced
• chewing mouthparts
• Incomplete development
Order Isoptera
• Termites
Order Isoptera
• Chewing mouthparts (modified in
soldiers for nest defense)
• 2 equal wings present only in
reproductive stage
• Incomplete development
• Social insects
Order Siphonaptera
 Fleas
Order Siphonaptera
 Piercing,
sucking mouthparts, feed on
blood
 Apterygota
 Complete metamorphosis