Lecture 30

order mecoptera

order siphonaptera

order strepsiptera

Seena r subhagan
Assistant professor (agrl. Entomology)
Rars ambalavayal
Order Mecoptera
- SCORPIONFLIES & HANGING FLIES
• Medium sized insects

• Head prolonged below the eyes as a beak, or rostrum

• Rostrum is formed by elongation of clypeus

• Wings are membranous. Front and hind wings are similar in shape and have similar
venation

• Genital segments in males is bulbous and often curved forward above the back like
a scorpions sting – hence the name scorpion flies.

• Do not sting

• Complete metamorphosis
Order siphonaptera
- fleas
• Small apterous insects

• Body is laterally compressed, provided with numerous backward projecting spines

and bristles

• Head is small sized

• Eyes may be present, vestigial or absent, 2 ocelli usually present

• Antennae are short and lie in grooves of the head (antennal fossa)

• Mouth parts are modified for piercing and sucking

• Thorax consists of three distinct and somewhat separate segments

• Pronotum is well demarcated and may have one or two rows of setae and
a distinct comb along its caudal margin

• Legs are similar in form and function, allowing the individual to progress
by walking

• Larva are elongate eruciform and apodous

• Pupa exarate, adecticous and enclosed in a cocoon

• Complete metamorphosis
Order strepsiptera
– stylopids or
Twisted wing parasites
• Small endoparasitic insects

• Males are free living and winged; females are wingless

• Mouth parts are of a degenerate biting type

• Antennae is flabellate

• Fore wings are reduced to small club like structures

• Hind wings large and fan like

• Metathorax is greatly developed

• Trochanter is absent

• Hypermetamorphosis seen