| Zaitzevia elongata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Elmidae |
| Genus: | Zaitzevia |
| Species: | Z. elongata |
| Binomial name | |
| Zaitzevia elongata Nomura, 1962 | |
Zaitzevia elongata is a species of riffle beetle which is wingless and flightless. It is found on several of the Ryukyu Islands in Japan in the gravel substrate of streams.
The mature larvae of Zaitzevia elongata have a body length of approximately 4 millimeters (mm) long and are black or dark brown with orange appendages. Their bodies are longer than they are wide, and gradually become more narrow from the thorax (center) to the apex (front). When viewed from the side, the larvae form a rough semi-circular shape. The spiracles, which are openings that allow air to enter the trachea, are found on the mesothorax and the first eight abdominal segments. Their dorsal and ventral (top and bottom) surfaces are not smooth, and have flat granules (bumps) and various setae (bristles). [1] : 218
The head of the larvae are visible from above and is clearly separated from the front segment of the thorax, the prothorax. It is about as long as it is wide. The clypeus (frontal tooth) is transverse and lacks spines on either side. The eyes are large, but lack the lens of stemmata. Each antenna has three antennomeres (segments). [1] : 218
The thorax of the larvae are not serrated on the sides, and the dorsum has similar granules and setae to the rest of the body. The segment of the thorax closest to the head, the prothorax, is wider than it is long and is twice as long as the middle segment of the thorax, the mesothorax. Along the ventral side of the prothorax are seven sclerites, while along the ventral side of the meso- and metathorax there are five sclerites. [1] : 219
The larval abdomen has nine segments, all of which have the same type of granules and setae to the rest of the body. The first eight segments are of similar size and form, all having pleural sclerites. The last segment is longer than it is wide, and gradually narrows to an apex at the rear of the beetle. The apex is notched and ventrally flat, having opercular claws and anal gills. [1] : 219
The male genitalia of Zaitzevia elongata is about 2.2 times as long as the median lobe, and the parameres are membraneous. [2]
Zaitzevia elongata is found in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Specimens have been collected from the islands of Amami Ōshima, Tokunoshima, and Okinawa. [2]
Larvae of the species have been recorded as residing among the moss species Fissidens nagasakinus. [2]
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of mammals and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the creature's body, each of which is in turn composed of multiple segments.
The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites are the pronotum (dorsal), the prosternum (ventral), and the propleuron (lateral) on each side. The prothorax never bears wings in extant insects, though some fossil groups possessed wing-like projections. All adult insects possess legs on the prothorax, though in a few groups the forelegs are greatly reduced. In many groups of insects, the pronotum is reduced in size, but in a few it is hypertrophied, such as in all beetles (Coleoptera). In most treehoppers, the pronotum is expanded into often fantastic shapes that enhance their camouflage or mimicry. Similarly, in the Tetrigidae, the pronotum is extended backward to cover the flight wings, supplanting the function of the tegmina.
This glossary of entomology describes terms used in the formal study of insect species by entomologists.
The mesothorax is the middle of the three segments of the thorax of hexapods, and bears the second pair of legs. Its principal sclerites are the mesonotum (dorsal), the mesosternum (ventral), and the mesopleuron (lateral) on each side. The mesothorax is the segment that bears the forewings in all winged insects, though sometimes these may be reduced or modified, as in beetles (Coleoptera) or Dermaptera, in which they are sclerotized to form the elytra, and the Strepsiptera, in which they are reduced to form halteres that attach to the mesonotum. All adult insects possess legs on the mesothorax. In some groups of insects, the mesonotum is hypertrophied, such as in Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera), in which the anterior portion of the mesonotum forms most of the dorsal surface of the thorax. In these orders, there is also typically a small sclerite attached to the mesonotum that covers the wing base, called the tegula. In one group of insects, the Hemiptera, the dorsal surface of the thorax is typically formed primarily of the prothorax, but also in part by the enlarged posterior portion of the mesonotum, called the scutellum; in the Coleoptera, the scutellum may or may not be visible, usually as a small triangular plate between the elytral bases, thus similar in position to the Hemipteran scutellum. In Diptera and Hymenoptera the mesothoracic scutellum is also distinct, but much smaller than the mesoscutum.
The metathorax is the posterior of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the third pair of legs. Its principal sclerites are the metanotum (dorsal), the metasternum (ventral), and the metapleuron (lateral) on each side. The metathorax is the segment that bears the hindwings in most winged insects, though sometimes these may be reduced or modified, as in the flies (Diptera), in which they are reduced to form halteres, or flightless, as in beetles (Coleoptera), in which they may be completely absent even though forewings are still present. All adult insects possess legs on the metathorax. In most groups of insects, the metanotum is reduced relative to the mesonotum. In the suborder Apocrita of the Hymenoptera, the first abdominal segment is fused to the metathorax, and is then called the propodeum.
Nicrophorus tomentosus is a species of burying beetle that was described by Friedrich Weber in 1801. The beetle belongs to the family Silphidae which are carrion beetles. The beetles have sensitive antennae that contain olfactory organs. Thus, the beetle can locate dead animals (carcass), and then as the name suggests, can bury them. However, unlike other burying beetles, N. tomentosus does not completely bury these brood carcasses. They instead dig a shallow hole under the carcass and cover it with leaf litter. Recognition of these beetles can be distinguished by its black color with orange markings on the wing covers (elytra).
The external morphology of Lepidoptera is the physiological structure of the bodies of insects belonging to the order Lepidoptera, also known as butterflies and moths. Lepidoptera are distinguished from other orders by the presence of scales on the external parts of the body and appendages, especially the wings. Butterflies and moths vary in size from microlepidoptera only a few millimetres long, to a wingspan of many inches such as the Atlas moth. Comprising over 160,000 described species, the Lepidoptera possess variations of the basic body structure which has evolved to gain advantages in adaptation and distribution.
Insect morphology is the study and description of the physical form of insects. The terminology used to describe insects is similar to that used for other arthropods due to their shared evolutionary history. Three physical features separate insects from other arthropods: they have a body divided into three regions, three pairs of legs, and mouthparts located outside of the head capsule. This position of the mouthparts divides them from their closest relatives, the non-insect hexapods, which include Protura, Diplura, and Collembola.
Brachypsectra fulva is a species of beetle in the Brachypsectridae family commonly known as the Texas beetle.
The thorax is the midsection (tagma) of the hexapod body. It holds the head, legs, wings and abdomen. It is also called mesosoma or cephalothorax in other arthropods.
Cebrionini is a tribe of click beetles from the family Elateridae; formerly ranked as a subfamily or family, they are now considered a tribe within the subfamily Elaterinae.
Dipteran morphology differs in some significant ways from the broader morphology of insects. The Diptera is a very large and diverse order of mostly small to medium-sized insects. They have prominent compound eyes on a mobile head, and one pair of functional, membraneous wings, which are attached to a complex mesothorax. The second pair of wings, on the metathorax, are reduced to halteres. The order's fundamental peculiarity is its remarkable specialization in terms of wing shape and the morpho-anatomical adaptation of the thorax – features which lend particular agility to its flying forms. The filiform, stylate or aristate antennae correlate with the Nematocera, Brachycera and Cyclorrhapha taxa respectively. It displays substantial morphological uniformity in lower taxa, especially at the level of genus or species. The configuration of integumental bristles is of fundamental importance in their taxonomy, as is wing venation. It displays a complete metamorphosis, or holometabolous development. The larvae are legless, and have head capsules with mandibulate mouthparts in the Nematocera. The larvae of "higher flies" (Brachycera) are however headless and wormlike, and display only three instars. Pupae are obtect in the Nematocera, or coarcate in Brachycera.
Megaphragma is a genus of wasp in the family Trichogrammatidae. It contains some of the smallest known insects, Megaphragma caribea and Megaphragma mymaripenne, which are roughly the same size as some unicellular protozoans.
Zigrasimecia is an extinct genus of ants which existed in the Cretaceous period approximately 98 million years ago. The first specimens were collected from Burmese amber in Kachin State, 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of Myitkyina town in Myanmar. In 2013, palaeoentomologists Phillip Barden and David Grimaldi published a paper describing and naming Zigrasimecia tonsora. They described a dealate female with unusual features, notably the highly specialized mandibles. Other features include large ocelli, short scapes, 12 antennomeres, small eyes, and a clypeal margin that has a row of peg-like denticles. The genus Zigrasimecia was originally incertae sedis within Formicidae until a second species, Zigrasimecia ferox, was described in 2014, leading to its placement in the subfamily Sphecomyrminae. Later, it was considered to belong to the distinct subfamily Zigrasimeciinae.
Bucolus fourneti is a native Australian, small, hairy coccinellid beetle approximately 2.1-4.5 mm in diameter. It was described by Étienne Mulsant in 1850
Caenocholax fenyesi is a species of twisted-winged parasitic insects in the order Strepsiptera and family Myrmecolacidae. It has a sporadic distribution throughout North America, Central America, and South America. Chaenochlax brasiliensis is the only other named species in the genus.
Phalonidia udana, or the loosestrife conch, is a European species of moth of the family Tortricidae, the subfamily Tortricinae, and the tribe Cochylini. It is widely distributed in the North Palaearctic but appears to be largely rare or missing in Central Europe. Previously, it was classified under the Phalonidia manniana taxon, but a recent effort to barcode all North European Lepidoptera revealed that P. udana and P. mannania are two distinct species.
Notosacantha vicaria is a species of leaf beetle native to India, and Sri Lanka.
Potamophylax coronavirus is a species of caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae. It is endemic to Kosovo. It was named after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perothops is a genus of false click beetles in the family Eucnemidae containing 3 species. They are known as beech-tree beetles or perothopid beetles. They are small as they are only 10–18 millimeters long. It is the only genus in the monotypic subfamily Perothopinae. They are dark-colored beetles that are found across the United States, generally in forests. The genus was discovered by Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz in 1836. It used to be considered a family not part of Eucnemidae. The genus's name is from Greek, translating to "maimed/crippled eye" or "eye of little necklaces/bands", referring to the placement of perothopid eyes.