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Insects

Insects. Insects. Insects have thrived for more than 300 million years (long before rise and fall of dinosaurs) Very successful through evolution and adaptation Insects account for ¾ of the earth’s animal species. Characteristics. Adaptations leading to success (all arthropods)

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Insects

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  1. Insects

  2. Insects • Insects have thrived for more than 300 million years (long before rise and fall of dinosaurs) • Very successful through evolution and adaptation • Insects account for ¾ of the earth’s animal species

  3. Characteristics • Adaptations leading to success (all arthropods) • Segmented body • Jointed appendages • Exoskeleton

  4. Unique to Insects • Divided into three tagmata • Head • Thorax • Abdomen • Have mandibles and one pair of antennae on the head • Antennae and other appendages are unbranched • Three pairs of jointed legs • Many one or two pairs of wings • Abdomen has 9 to 11 segments • Never has wings or legs in adult • Most are small

  5. Entomology • The study of insects • Entomologists classify insects in more than 30 orders • Based on: • Structure of mouthparts • Number of wings • Type of development

  6. Success of Insects • Insects live almost everywhere on earth (not in deep ocean) • Identified more than 700,000 species • Estimated 10 million may exist

  7. Success of Insects • Success mainly due to flying • Escape predation • Move to new environments • Exoskeletons • Small size = less competition • Short life spans and high reproduction rate • Natural selection occurs quickly

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