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Hexapoda - orders (in development)

Authors: Even Dankowicz

Help identify observations on iNaturalist!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?lrank=superorder&taxon_id=372739

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Subphylum Hexapoda

Class Entognatha
Class Insecta

…..

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Class Entognatha

Subclass Collembola
Order Diplura
Order Protura

Thin exoskeleton makes them sensitive to drying out
Often found underground
Typically <5mm
Mouthparts not visible, kept inside the head
Juveniles resemble small adults

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Order Diplura

Paired terminal appendages, in 1 of 2 subgroups shown below:
Soil-dwelling

Order Protura

Lack antennae or eyes; front legs held out like antennae
<2mm

Evalljapyx sp., CA, © James, iNaturalist / CC BY-NC

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Subclass Collembola

Order Entomobryomorpha
Order Poduromorpha
Order Neelipleona
Order Symphypleona

Fork-like organ underneath abdomen assists with jumping

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Order Entomobryomorpha

Elongate-bodied, rigid exoskeleton
Variously patterned

Order Poduromorpha

Elongate-bodied, more bulbous exoskeleton
Typically single-colored

Pogonognathellus, NY

Entomobrya atrocincta, MD

Cyphoderus similis, IL

Isotoma delta, IL

Hypogastrura sp., MA

Podura aquatica, IL

Vitroneura giselae, MD

Onychiuridae, IL

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Order Neelipleona

Round and globular
<2mm, more or less colorless

Order Symphypleona

Round and globular
Typically <5mm
Among the cutest things alive

Megalothorax minimus, IL

Pseudoborletiella spinata, MA

Sminthurinus henshawi, IL

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Class Insecta

The only arthropods with wings
Juveniles of heterometabolous insects are called nymphs and resemble small wingless adults
Juveniles of holometabolous insects are called larvae, look totally different from the adult, and go through an inactive pupal phase prior to becoming an adult.

Order Psocodea
Order Thysanoptera
Order Hemiptera
Order Hymenoptera
Order Strepsiptera;
Order Coleoptera
Order Neuroptera
Order Megaloptera
Order Raphidioptera
Order Trichoptera
Order Lepidoptera
Order Siphonaptera
Order Mecoptera
Order Diptera

Order Archaeognatha
Order Zygentoma
Order Ephemeroptera
Order Odonata
Order Orthoptera
Order Phasmida
Order Embioptera
Order Grylloblattodea
Order Mantophasmatodea
Order Zoraptera
Order Plecoptera
Order Dermaptera
Order Mantodea
Order Blattodea

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Order Archaeognatha

3 terminal filaments; no wings; round body with hump; heterometabolous

Order Zygentoma

3 terminal filaments; no wings; flattened body; heterometabolous

Ctenolepisma lineata, MD

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Order Ephemeroptera

Nymph is aquatic, with 3 terminal gill filaments

Order Odonata

4 elongate wings, nymphs aquatic
Suborder Anisoptera: eyes fill up adult head; nymph w/out 3 terminal gill filaments
Suborder Zygoptera: eyes separated in adult head; nymph with 3 gill filaments

Sweden

Enallagma geminatum, MA

Libellula needhami, MD

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Order Orthoptera

More or less modified for jumping, with thickened hind femora
Heterometabolous

Order Phasmida

“stick insects”
heterometabolous

Melanoplus sp., IL

Oecanthus exclama, MA

Left, IL

Below, ????

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Order Notoptera

Wingless; heterometabolous
Grylloblattidae: restricted to frigid zones of mountains and glaciers
Mantophasmatidae: restricted to Namibia and western South Africa

Order Zoraptera

very rare, found in dead wood or leaf litter
1 family: Zorotypidae

Often wingless
heterometabolous

Order Dermaptera

Short wings covered by wing cases
Terminal hornlike appendages
heterometabolous

Grylloblattidae, OR, © Lauren diBiccari, iNaturalist / CC BY-NC

Mantophasmatidae, SA, © Louis Jordaan, iNaturalist / CC BY-NC

Euborellia sp., CA

Zorotypus hubbardi, TX, © Robby Deans, iNaturalist / CC BY-NC

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Order Plecoptera

Order Embidiina

Front legs with bulbous basotarsomere
body more or less flattened
heterometabolous

Subtropical and tropical regions

Oligotomus sp., FL

Nymphs are aquatic, with 2 terminal filaments
Adults have unique ~rectangular body shape

Claassenia sabulosa, MA, © kbattaini, iNaturalist / CC BY-NC

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Order Mantodea

Folded, overlapping wings
2^nd segment of thorax elongate
Triangular head
Raptorial front legs
Well-camouflaged
heterometabolous

Order Blattodea

Round, squat body
Folded, overlapping wings
Triangular head
heterometabolous

Tenodera sinensis, IL

Periplaneta americana, IL

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Order Psocodea

Feed on plant matter, or animal bodies e.g. lice
heterometabolous

Order Thysanoptera

Heterometabolous
Distinctive body shape
<10mm

Liposcelis sp., IL

Blastopsocus sp., MD

AK, © cedarleaf, iNaturalist / CC BY-NC

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Order Hemiptera

Heterometabolous
Sucking straw-like mouthparts

Suborder Heteroptera

Base of front wing leathery, opaque; apex is membranous
Wings create a diamondback effect when they are folded

Suborder Coleorrhyncha

1 extant family: Peloridiidae
all look more or less like the one at the right

Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and South America

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha

Wings fold against body but don’t overlap
Prolific hoppers, so often have upright stance as at right
Includes cicadas

Suborder Sternorrhyncha

Includes aphids, scale bugs, whiteflies
Various small bugs that suck plant juices

Harmostes refluxus, MA

Xenophyes rhachilophus, NZ

Megamelus sp., MA

Chaitophorinus sp., NY

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Order Hymenoptera

Holometabolous, but larvae live in nests, rarely seen
Sawflies have larvae resembling those of Lepidoptera, as shown to the right

Apis mellifera, CA

Mutillidae, MA

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Order Strepsiptera

Holometabolous
Parasitize abdomens of wasps, as below
Winged individuals are rare, see https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/12846688

Order Coleoptera

Holometabolous
Front wings are hardened, and do not overlap, but sit side by side when folded against abdomen

Xenos sp., NY

Harmonia axyridis larva, MA

Curculio sp. larva, MA

Corimbytodes sp., MA

Philonthus sp., IL

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Order Neuroptera

Holometabolous
Groups on this page have lacey wings, this order the most of all
Larvae are terrestrial, and usually have large mandibles

Order Megaloptera

Holometabolous; larvae are aquatic
head and thorax large, flattened

Order Raphidioptera

Holometabolous; called ‘snakeflies’ with good reason (See image below)

Agulla sp., AZ

Hemerobiidae, MA

Coniopterygidae, IL

Chrysopidae larva, IL

Chrysopidae egg, IL

Corydalus cornutus larva, IL

Chauliodes pectinicornis, IL

larva, AZ

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Order Trichoptera

Holometabolous; larvae are aquatic and usually live in cases
Resemble moths, but wings have hairs instead of scales

Order Lepidoptera

Holometabolous; larvae are plant-feeding (caterpillars)

Poanes zabulon, MD

larva, NY

Hydropsyche sp. larva, MD

Hydropschidae, IL

Hydroptilidae, IL

Phyllocnistis insignis, MD

Hydriomena transfigurata, MA

Papilio troilus larva, MA

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Order Siphonaptera

Holometabolous, but larvae rarely seen
Associated with animal hosts
wingless, laterally flattened

Order Mecoptera

Holometabolous, but larvae rarely seen
Unique long-snouted face
Large male terminalia (see below image) gives them the name “scorpionflies”
Larvae resemble caterpillars (Lepidoptera larva), but are found near the soil and rarely seen.

Panorpa sp., NY

Ctenocephalides felis, IL

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Order Diptera

Holometabolous
Uniquely with only 1 pair of wings (some rare Hemiptera are similar, but are soft-bodied and unlikely to be confused)

Mycetophilidae, IL

Conopidae, Sweden

Mydas sp., IL. Please tell Even Dankowicz if you see anything in this family—you can tag him on iNaturalist by typing @edanko