The insect head supports various sensory and feeding structures. It houses the brain and major sense organs including eyes, antennae, and mouthparts. The hardened head capsule protects these internal structures. The head capsule surface is divided into plates and regions by sutures and grooves. Insects have different types of mouthparts adapted for their feeding habits, including biting and chewing, chewing and lapping, piercing and sucking, and sponging.
The insect head supports various sensory and feeding structures. It houses the brain and major sense organs including eyes, antennae, and mouthparts. The hardened head capsule protects these internal structures. The head capsule surface is divided into plates and regions by sutures and grooves. Insects have different types of mouthparts adapted for their feeding habits, including biting and chewing, chewing and lapping, piercing and sucking, and sponging.
The insect head supports various sensory and feeding structures. It houses the brain and major sense organs including eyes, antennae, and mouthparts. The hardened head capsule protects these internal structures. The head capsule surface is divided into plates and regions by sutures and grooves. Insects have different types of mouthparts adapted for their feeding habits, including biting and chewing, chewing and lapping, piercing and sucking, and sponging.
The insect head supports various sensory and feeding structures. It houses the brain and major sense organs including eyes, antennae, and mouthparts. The hardened head capsule protects these internal structures. The head capsule surface is divided into plates and regions by sutures and grooves. Insects have different types of mouthparts adapted for their feeding habits, including biting and chewing, chewing and lapping, piercing and sucking, and sponging.
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The document describes different anatomical features of the insect head as well as different types of antennae found in insects.
The different types of antennae described include filiform, moniliform, serrate, pectinate, clavate, capitate, lamellate, plumose, aristate, geniculate and stylate antennae.
Some of the anatomical features of the insect head described include the vertex, frons, clypeus, occiput, post-occiput and labrum.
Insects head
• The insect's head is sometimes referred to as the head-capsule, and is the
insect's feeding and sensory centre. It supports the eyes, antennae and and jaws of the insect. (Note -: insects do not breath through their mouths but through their thoracic and abdominal spiracles). • In most insects, the head capsule is a sturdy compartment that houses the brain, a mouth opening, mouthparts used for ingestion of food, and major sense organs (including antennae, compound eyes, and ocelli). • Embryological evidence suggests that the first six body segments (three pre-oral and three post-oral) of a primitive worm-like ancestor may have fused to form the head capsule of most present-day insects. • The surface of the head is divided into regions (sclerites) by a pattern of shallow grooves (sutures). • 1. Vertex or Epicranium- The uppermost sclerite (dorsal surface) of the head capsule is known as the Vertex or Epicranium. It extends from the anterior frontal to the posterior occipital suture. • It is divided by the coronal suture into two identical lateral plates known as the parietals. The parietals are characterised by bearing the antennae, lateral ocelli and the compound eyes. • A coronal suture usually runs along the midline of the vertex and splits into two frontal sutures as it extends downward across the front of the head capsule. • 2. Frons-The triangular sclerite that lies between these frontal sutures is called the frons. The epistomal or Clypeo-frontal suture is a deep groove that separates the base of the frons from the clypeus. • In orthopetroid insects, Frons possesses the median ocellus. • Frons represents typically an upper facial region of the head. • The pharyngeal dilators, labral, hypopharyngeal muscles and the adductor muscles of the mandibles are usually inserted on the middle of the frons. • 3. The Clypeus sclerite is demarcated by the clypeo-labral and clypeo- frontal sutures from the anterior and posterior sides. It is thus rectangular body between the anterior labral and posterior frontal sclerites. • In some insects it is partially or completely divided in to two parts by a transverse suture. The posterior part is termed as post clypeus and the anterior part is antclypeus. • The clypeus is the sclerite of the head on which arise the cibarial dilator muscles. • 4. The labrum is freely attached to lower margin of the clypeus by the clypeolabral suture, generally hanged over the mouth also known as the upper lip particularly in the mandibulate insects. • It is internally lined with the gustatory receptors and can be moved upwards, downwards and can be pulled and pushed due to the elastic nature of the suture and muscle innervation. It is innervated by following three types of muscles- • The compressor muscles – bring the retraction, prolongation and contraction of the labrum. • The anterior labral muscles- they move the labrum in forward direction. • The posterior labral muscles- these pull the labrum in backward direction. • 5. The occiput, the U shaped posterior or hinder cuticular band. It represents the area from occipital to the post occipital suture. • 6. The post-occiput- the occipital foramen is encircled from the dorsal and lateral regions by a narrow sclerite, the post-occiput. This post occiput lies between the occiput and the neck. • The post occiput is marked off from the occiput by a transverse post occipital suture. When the post occipital suture remains absent, the posteripr tentorial pits separate the post occiput from the occiput.. • The dorsal thoracic muscles are attached to the endoskeleton ridge of the post occiput suture. These muscles articulate the head freely. • 7. The Gena and Subgena areas represent the lateral areas of the head. The hinder part develops into the socket to accommodate the mandibular condyle. • Posterior to the occipital suture, each lateral gena is commonly called as post gena. Each postgena provides the condyle articulation for the maxillae • 8. The Ocular Sclerite form a cuticular ring around each compound eye. • 9. The Antennal Sclerite form an annulus at the base of the antenna. Mouth Parts in Insects • 1. Biting and Chewing: • This type of mouth parts are supposed to be the most primitive type as the other types are believed to be evolved from biting and chewing type of mouth parts. • These consist of the labrum forming upper lip, mandibles, first maxillae, second maxillae forming lower lip, hypo pharynx and the epipharynx.
• The labrum is median, somewhat rectangular flap-like. The mandibles are
paired and bear toothed edges at their inner surfaces; they work transversely by two sets of muscles to masticate the food. The first maxillae are paired and lie one on either side of the head capsule behind the mandibles. Each possesses a five-jointed maxillary palp which is a tactile organ. • The first maxillae help in holding the food. The second maxillae are paired but fused to form the lower lip. Its function is to push the masticated food into the mouth. The hypo pharynx is single median tongue-like process at whose base the common salivary duct opens. The epipharynx is a single small membranous piece lying under the labrum and bears taste buds. Biting and Chewing • This type of mouth parts are found in orthopteran insects like cockroaches, grasshoppers, crickets, etc. These are also found in silver fish, termites, earwigs, beetles, some hymenopterans and in caterpillars of Lepidoptera. • 2. Chewing and Lapping: • This type of mouth parts are modified for collecting the nectar and pollen from flowers and also for moulding the wax, as is found in honeybees, wasps, etc. They consist of the labrum, epipharynx, mandibles, first pair of maxillae and second pair of maxillae. • The labrum lies below the clypeus, below the labrum is a fleshy epipharynx which is an organ of taste. • Mandibles are short, smooth and spatulated, situated one on either side of the labrum; used in moulding wax and making the honeycomb. The labium (second pair of maxillae) has reduced paraglossae, the glossae are united and elongated to form the so called retractile tongue, at its tip is a small labellum or honey spoon. The labial palps are elongated. • The glossa is used for gathering honey and it is an organ of touch and taste. The first pair of maxillae are placed at the sides of labium, they bear small maxillary palps, lacinia is very much reduced but galea are elongated and blade-like. • The galea and labial palps form a tube enclosing the glossae which moves up and down to collect nectar from flower nectaries. The nectar is sucked up through the tube, so formed, by the pumping action of the pharynx. The labrum and mandibles help in chewing the food. • 3. Piercing and Sucking: • This type of mouth parts are adapted for piercing the tissues of animals and plants to suck blood and plant juice, and found in dipteran insects like mosquitoes and hemipteran insects like bugs, aphids, etc. • They usually consist of labium, labrum and epipharynx, mandibles, maxillae and hypo pharynx. • However, for the sake of easy description, this type of mouth parts can be discussed in the following two headings: • (i) Piercing and sucking mouth parts of mosquitoes: • The labium is modified to form a long, straight, fleshy tube, called proboscis. It has a deep labial groove on its upper side. • The labial palps are modified to form two conical lobes at the tip of the proboscis, called labella which bear tactile bristles. • The labrum is long needle-like. The epipharynx is fused with the labrum. The labrum-epipharynx, thus, covers the labial groove dorsally from inside. • Mandibles, maxillae and hypo pharynx are modified to form needle- like stylets which are placed in the labial groove. • In male mosquitoes, the mandibles are absent. • In females, the mandibles are finer than the maxillae, but both have saw-like edges on their tips. • The hypo pharynx possesses salivary duct which opens at its tip. Through this duck, saliva is poured to prevent coagulation of blood of the victim. • (ii) Piercing and sucking mouth parts of bugs: • These types of mouth parts are suitable for piercing the skin of animal or plant and suck blood or fluid. They are found in mosquitoes, sand flies, biting midges, bugs and lice. • Piercing and sucking mouth parts of bugs form a three- segmented proboscis formed by labium which is the main sucking tube. • Maxillae and mandibles are sharp needle like and are called stylets. • Labrum is reduced and forms the basal part of proboscis. • Piercing and sucking mouth parts of lice are entirely different. None of the conventional mouth part pieces are seen in lice. Instead, there is a sharp spine-like stabber that rests in a trophic sac. It is used to pierce the skin and draw blood which is then sucked by suctorial pharynx through the mouth. 4. Sponging: • This type of mouth parts are adapted for sucking up liquid or semiliquid food and found in houseflies and some other flies. They consist of labrum- epipharynx, maxillae, labium and hypo pharynx; mandibles are entirely absent. • In fact, in this type of mouth parts, the labium, i.e. lower lip is well developed and modified to form a long, fleshy and retractile proboscis. • The proboscis is divisible into three distinct parts: • (i) Rostrum or basiproboscis; it is broad, elongated and cone-shaped basal part of proboscis articulated proximally with the head and bears a pair of un-jointed maxillary palps representing the maxillae, • (ii) Haustellum or mediproboscis; it is the middle part of proboscis bearing a mid-dorsal oral groove and a ventral weakly chitinised plate-like theca or mentum. • A double- edged blade-like hypo pharynx is located deep inside the oral groove; it bears salivary duct and closes the groove of labrum- epipharynx from below. The labrum-epipharynx is a long, somewhat flattened and grooved structure covering the oral groove. The food canal or channel is, thus, formed by labium-epipharynx and the hypo pharynx. • (iii) Labella or distiproboscis; it is the distal part of proboscis and consists of two broad, flattened and oval spongy pads having a series of channels called pseudo tracheae. These open externally by a double row of tiny holes through which liquid food is taken in. The pseudo tracheae converge into the mouth lying between the two lobes of labella which lead into the food canal. Sponging type of mouth parts • 5. Siphoning: • This type of mouth parts are adapted wonderfully for sucking flower nectar and fruit juice, found in butterflies and moths belonging to the order Lepidoptera of class Insecta. They consist of small labrum, coiled proboscis, reduced mandibles and labium. The hypo pharynx and epipharynx are not found. • The labrum is a triangular sclerite attached with the front clypeus of the head. The proboscis is formed by well-developed, greatly elongated and modified galeae of maxillae. It is grooved internally to form the food channel or canal through which food is drawn up to mouth. At rest, when proboscis is not in use, it is tightly coiled beneath the head but it becomes extended in response to food stimulus. • The extension of proboscis is achieved by exerting a fluid pressure by the blood. Mandibles are either absent or greatly reduced, situated on the lateral sides of the labrum. The labium is triangular plate-like bearing labial palps. • Antenna • The antennae are a pair of sense organs located near the front of an insect’s head capsule. • Although commonly called “feelers”, the antennae are much more than just tactile receptors. • They are usually covered with olfactory receptors that can detect odour molecules in the air (the sense of smell). • Many insects also use their antennae as humidity sensors, to detect changes in the concentration of water vapour. • Mosquitoes detect sounds with their antennae, and many flies use them to gauge air speed while they are in flight. • Although antennae vary widely in shape and function, all of them can be divided into three basic parts: • Scape — the basal segment that articulates with the head capsule • Pedicel — the second antennal segment • Flagellum — all the remaining “segments” (individually called flagellomeres). • Types of Antennae • The antennae of insects are modified in many ways. Some of these modifications just provide greater surface area for sensory receptors, while others are unique adaptations that bestow special sensory capabilities, such as detecting sound vibrations, wind speed, or humidity. • 1. The setaceous Antenna- the flagellum look like a bristle due to the gradual reduction in the size of the segments e.g. Odonata (Dragonfly) • 2. The filiform Antenna- the flagellum appears as a thread like structure made up of uniformly thin segments. E.g. Blattidae (Cockroach)
• 3. The Moniliform Antenna- the flagellum is composed of the
globose shaped segments, providing a beaded or necklace like appearance to the entire antenna. E.g. Termites, Caloterms. • 4. The Serrate antenna- the flagellum consists of triangular segments with eccentric arrangement leaving the free ends of the segments freely on one side which appears as the teeth of the saw, e.g. Burestidae (beetles), Elateridae (Coleoptera).
• 5. The pectinate or Flabellate- the individual segments of the flagellum
are extending on only one side of the long processes and thus antenna become comb like . E.g. Rhipiphoridae (Coleoptera), Tenthredinidae (Hymenoptera), Bombycoidea (Lepidoptera). • 6. The Clavate Antenna- The successive segments of the flagellum become gradually broader giving an appearance of the club shaped form to the antenna, e.g. Coleoptera, Lepidoptera.
• 7. The Capitate Antenna- The proximal segments of the flagellum
are of uniform size while the distal segments modify in to a large knob of capitulum. E.g. Nitidulidae (Coleoptera). • 8. The Lamellate Antennae- The terminal segments of the flagellum modify into the leaf like broad plates forming a foliate capitulum, e.g. Melolontha, Scarabaeidae (coleoptera).
• 9. The Plumose Antennae- the flagellum is composed of large
number of cylindrical segments and the segments are provided with long hairs on either side, e.g. male mosquito, midges. 10. Aristate Antennae- Aristate antennae are pouch-like, with a lateral bristle. Aristate antennae are most notably found in the Diptera (true flies).
• 11. Geniculate Are Bent or Hinged Sharply
• Geniculate antennae are bent or hinged sharply, almost like a knee or elbow joint. The term geniculate derives from the Latin genu, meaning knee. Geniculate antennae are found mainly in ants or bees. • 12. Stylate- Terminate in a Long, Slender Point • Stylate comes from the Latin stylus, meaning pointed instrument. • In stylate antennae, the final segment terminates in a long, slender point, called a style. The style may be hair like but will extend from the end and never from the side. • Stylate antennae are found most notably in certain true flies of the suborder Brachycera (such as robber flies, snipe flies, and bee flies). • The Pilose Antennae- The flagellum looks like a shaft, flexible hair. All segments are a like, fine and tubular but without processes e.g. female anopheles.
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