Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dermaptera and
Isoptera
Group 3
Anoplura
Sucking lice (Anoplura, formerly known as
Siphunculata) have around 500 species and
represent the smaller of the two traditional
suborders of lice. As opposed to the paraphyletic
chewing lice, which are now divided among three
suborders, the sucking lice are monophyletic.
The Anoplura are all blood-feeding ectoparasites of
mammals. They only occur on about 20% of all
placentalian mammal species, and are unknown
from several orders of mammals (Monotremata,
Edentata, Pholidota, Chiroptera, Cetacea, Sirenia
and Proboscidea). They can cause localized skin
irritations and are vectors of several blood-borne
diseases. Children appear particularly susceptible to
0.35 8 mm long.
True solenophages (vessel feeders).
Head usually conical, often pointed and lacking
a tentorial structure.
Cranial plates and sutures occasionally
developed in nymphs but usually obliterate in
the adult instar.
Antennae short, filiform, three or usually five
segmented.
Sensilla present on the second and third
flagellomere.
Compound eyes absent or reduced.
Mouth parts highly modified comprising three
protrusible flexible stylets formed from the
fused maxillae, normally with drawn inside a
Echinophthiriidae
Neolinognathidae
Enderleinellidae
Pecaroecidae
Haematopinidae
Pedicinidae
Hamophthiriidae
Pediculidae
Hoplopleuridae
Pthiridae
Hybophthiridae
Polyplacidae
Linognathidae
Ratemiidae
Microthoraciidae
Hom
e
Dermaptera
Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera and are found
throughout the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Australia and New
Zealand. With about 2,000 species in 12 families, they are one
of the smaller insect orders. Earwigs have characteristic cerci,
a pair of forceps-like pincers on their abdomen, and
membranous wings folded underneath short forewings, hence
the scientific order name, "skin wings". Some groups are tiny
parasites on mammals and lack the typical pincers. Earwigs
rarely use their flying ability.
Earwigs are mostly nocturnal and often hide in small, moist
crevices during the day, and are active at night, feeding on a
wide variety of insects and plants. Damage to foliage, flowers,
and various crops is commonly blamed on earwigs, especially
the common earwig Forficula auricularia.
Earwigs have five molts in the year before they become
adults. Many earwig species display maternal care, which is
Anisolabididae
Chelisochidae
Forficulidae
Labiduridae
Spongiphoridae
Hom
e
Isoptera
Termites are eusocial insects that are classified at the
taxonomic rank of infraorder Isoptera, or as epifamily
Termitoidae within the cockroach order Blattodea. Termites
were once classified in a separate order from cockroaches, but
recent phylogenetic studies indicate that they evolved from
close ancestors of cockroaches during the Jurassic or Triassic.
However, the first termites possibly emerged during the
Permian or even the Carboniferous. About 3,106 species are
currently described, with a few hundred more left to be
described. Although these insects are often called white ants,
they are not ants.
Like ants and some bees and wasps from the separate order
Hymenoptera, termites divide labour among castes consisting
of sterile male and female "workers" and "soldiers". All
colonies have fertile males called "kings" and one or more
fertile females called "queens". Termites mostly feed on dead
plant material and cellulose, generally in the form of wood,
Mastotermitidae
Kalotermitidae
Termopsidae
Hodotermitidae
Rhinotermitidae
Serritermitidae
Termitidae