#15: The Success of Insects

Litinsects #15: The Success of Insects

The first insects evolved around 410 million years ago. They have witnessed many global changes and numerous catastrophes that wiped out plenty of other species yet somehow they survived and continue to thrive. With around 1 million named species, insects currently account for around 2/3 of animals worldwide and are found in almost every kind of ecosystem. So what makes insects so successful? Here‘s what it comes down to:

1) An insect’s EXOSKELETON provides protection, support, and prevents desiccation (water loss)

2) Their SMALL SIZE means they can hide easily from predators, they require fewer resources to survive, and they can disperse easily (by themselves or by being carried)

3) FAST GENERATION TIMES means that insects potentially evolve faster due to the accumulation of more mutations per unit of time. This means, insects have many more chances for new species to arise than say an animal that needs years or decades to reproduce, meaning they are well able to adapt to environmental changes

4) METAMORPHOSIS is a huge advantage that has allowed for a separation of lifestyles among different phases of life. To give a very basic example of this: a caterpillar eats very different food than a butterfly, meaning that parents don’t need to compete with their children for food! Pretty handy if you ask me...

5) Many groups have developed defenses to avoid predation. Some species use CAMOUFLAGE to hide in plain sight while others store or produce CHEMICALS or develop MECHANICAL DEFENSES to avoid being eaten

6) And finally, the evolution of FLIGHT has majorly benefitted insects, mainly for the ability to disperse (to find mates, to search for food, to avoid predators, to find a new home when resources are low). Other uses for wings include protection, heat retention, camouflage, visual communication, or courtship displays

Of course these are generalized factors and not every group will utilize every one... But in general these factors have immensely contributed to the success of insects all over the globe.

Comments

#8: Butterfly Wings

Litinsects #8: Butterfly Wings Have you ever heard that you shouldn’t touch a butterfly’s wings or it will die? Well why is that...? Who remembers what I explained yesterday about Latin names? Butterflies and moths belong to the group LEPIDOPTERA, from the Greek words lepis for scale and pteron for wing. You probably guessed it already: butterfly wings are covered in SCALES! (Anyone starting to see a pattern with the names here? 😉 ) Butterfly scales are actually modified, flattened SETAE (aka hairs) that either partially or entirely cover the wings of most species. Some look like roof tiles, like on this here monarch, while some look more thread-like Scales protect and insulate the insect, but underneath the wing is actually transparent! Some species, like the GLASSWING BUTTERFLY, lack scales and have totally amazing see-through wings! Scales are responsible for the coloration of butterfly wings in one of two ways. First of all, scales contain...

#58: Tardigrades

Litinsects #58: Tardigrades Anyone recognize these weird-looking little guys? They are actually not insects, as a matter of fact they are not even arthropods but they are cool enough to deserve a post. These are TARDIGRADES, also known as water bears or moss piglets. They are best known for their bizarre abilities to survive some of the most extreme conditions imaginable... © Science Faction Images -As always, the name’s etymology describes them a bit. It comes from the Latin “tardus” meaning “slow” and “gradior” for “step/walk”. Their common name comes from the fact that their walk looks a bit like a bear’s -Tardigrades are a PHYLUM of animals consisting of around 1,300 species. (Side note: the TAXONOMIC LEVEL of a group has nothing to do with how many species it contains. For example phylum Arthropoda, a taxonomically equivalent category consists of around 1 million described species and possibly millions more not yet described!). -These animals are all microscopic, ranging in ...

#60: Cockroaches

Litinsects #60: Cockroaches Cockroaches belong to the order BLATTODEA, which is derived from the Greek word “blatta” meaning cockroach. Did you know that the Blattodea contains cockroaches AND termites? That’s right; termites are actually considered a specialized group of cockroaches! They used to be classified in an entirely different order of insects but recent genetic studies found a closer relation to cockroaches than previously thought. -Roaches are characterized by their broad, flat bodies. They have long antennae and generalized chewing mouthparts. In contrast to many other insects, which have 3, cockroaches have only 2 ocelli (or simple eyes) -Most people consider roaches to be disgusting, disease-spreading pests. But of 4,500 species, only 30 live in human habitats and are considered pests -The common name is derived from the Spanish word for the insect, “cucaracha” -Cockroaches can be found in a wide variety of habitats around the world. Many live in the tropics but...

Litinsects

Search This Blog