Insects are representatives of the arthropod type. Their characteristic feature is the presence of limbs, consisting of separate segments. The Insect class is the most numerous and has about 1 million species. Cockroaches, grasshoppers, bugs, butterflies, wasps, bees - it’s simply impossible to list everyone! What features allowed them to become so widespread? The topic "Insects and their features" is very interesting. Let's study it in more detail.
Structure
The parts of the body that have insects (see photo in the article) are the head, chest and abdomen. A pair of antennae is located on the head, the length of which varies and serves as an important systematic sign.
Insects are arthropods with a wide variety of types of oral apparatus. The following varieties are distinguished: gnawing - in cockroaches and beetles, stinging-sucking - in aphids and mosquitoes, licking - in flies. The type of oral apparatus depends on the nature of the food. In bees and bumblebees, it is gnawing, licking, and in butterflies it is sucking.
The chest of insects consists of three segments, each of which carries a pair of jointed limbs. Most representatives of this class also have wings. They are outgrowths of epithelial integumentary tissue. Fleas and lice have no wings due to the lack of their functional need. The abdomen is almost always devoid of limbs.
The insect cover consists of chitin carbohydrate, additionally coated with a wax-like substance. It protects the body from excessive evaporation of water. On the integument there are also special hairs that act as organs of touch and hearing.
Wonderful transformation
The process of development of insects occurs in a special way. In organisms with incomplete transformation , an adult is formed from a larva - an adult. Moreover, these two stages do not differ in morphological characteristics except for size. This is how the development of such units as cockroaches, orthopterans, termites, lice, bedbugs, and mantises takes place.
Coleoptera and fleas have a different type of transformation - complete. Its essence lies in the fact that the larva at the early stage of development leaves the egg, turning into a chrysalis. At this stage, the destruction of the original organs and the formation of new ones. Thus an adult is formed. An important fact is that the larva and imago are not similar in appearance. For example, the Colorado potato beetle at the initial stage of development is similar to a small worm.
Habitat
Insects are one of the few representatives of the animal world that have mastered all habitats. So, termites are able to make moves in the soil at a depth of 35 m, many bugs are adapted to life in water. Representatives of the squadron are parasites. But the predominant part is common in the airborne environment.
Characteristic Insects
Insects (photos show the diversity of representatives) have signs by which systematics distinguish them in a separate class such as Arthropods. These are three pairs of limbs and parts of the body (head, chest, abdomen), the presence of a pair of antennae on the head, respiratory organs - trachea, and discharge - malpighian vessels.
The diversity and importance of insects
Which hymenoptera insect is public? Of course this is a bee. Its main value is to get honey and pollen from pollen.
Representatives of the cockroach squad fly very poorly, but are well oriented in space with the help of long antennae.
Locusts, bears and crickets are orthoptera. This group includes grasshoppers and crickets, which have special devices. This is the so-called mirror - a thin membrane - and a bow - a vein with denticles.
Insects belonging to the Bedbug order have a flattened body on which wings are not formed. Their absence is compensated by the ability to easily jump a decent distance.
Insects are all representatives of the beetle detachment, having hard elytra, covering the abdomen tightly.
Which of us did not admire the fluttering flight of beautiful butterflies? They are also insects. They are not only beautiful. Many of them are helpful. So, the silkworm "heads" the whole production. He is artificially bred in many countries of the world. And the product of her life is natural silk.
Thus, insects are a class of arthropod animals, most of which are adapted to flight. Thanks to a fairly high level of organization, they have mastered all habitats, occupying their niche in the system of the organic world.