Insecta Flashcards

Insecta

Question	Answer	Article
Fill in the missing words about the insect body	The outer layer of the exoskeleton is called the epicuticle which is made of protein and covered by a waxy layer. The inner layers of the exoskeleton are called the endocuticle and the exocuticle which are made of protein and chitin	Link to Answer Article
What are halteres?	Reduced pair of wings Used for balance Possessed by diperan flies	Link to Answer Article
What are spiracles?	Chitinous openings On the side of the body Under muscular control so can open and close at will Mounted on stimatic plates Leads to trachea Can be used for species identification	Link to Answer Article
What is the name of the general insect body system?	Haemocoele	Link to Answer Article
What are oviparous insects?	Lay eggs outside of the body which hatch after deposition	Link to Answer Article
What are viviparous insects?	Lay larvae or nymphs Eggs rupture in female reproductive system	Link to Answer Article
Summarise simple metamorphosis and give an example of a species of insect which uses it	Nymph emerges from egg Nymph grows and moults Nymph becomes an adult Lice	Link to Answer Article
Summarise complex metamorphosis and give an example of a species of insect which uses it	Larva emerges from egg Larva grows and moults Larva pupates Adult emerges from pupa Flies	Link to Answer Article

Fleas

Question	Answer	Article
What is the most common species of flea which infects cats and dogs?	Ctenocephalides felis Cat flea	Link to Answer Article
Which flea only has pronotal combs?	Ceratophyllus gallinae Poultry flea	Link to Answer Article
*What are the key features of Pulex irritans?*	No combs Head rounded anteriorly	Link to Answer Article
*How is the life cycle of Spilopsyllus cuniculi* scynchronised with their main hosts the rabbit?**	Shortly before the doe gives birth the adult fleas attach to the ears of the rabbit and feed producing a lot of faeces After parturition the adult fleas move onto the kittens where they feed, mate and lay eggs The new adult fleas emerge from the pupa before the kittens leave the nest	Link to Answer Article
How long do adult fleas live?	7-10 days	Link to Answer Article
What do flea eggs look like?	Ivory-white Oval shaped 0.5mm long	Link to Answer Article
Which life cycle stage is negatively phototropic and what does this mean?	Larvae Crawl away from light sources	Link to Answer Article
What is the name of the flea juvenile hormone?	Methoprene	Link to Answer Article

Lice

Question	Answer	Article
What are the characteristics of chewing lice?	Broad head Rasping mouthparts Thorax narrower than head	Link to Answer Article
True or False: Chewing lice are found on both mammals and birds?	True Occurs on both mammals and birds	Link to Answer Article
What are the characteristics of sucking lice?	Narrow head Piercing mouthparts Thorax wider than head Powerful legs	Link to Answer Article
True or False: Sucking lice are found on both mammals and birds?	False Occurs on mammals only	Link to Answer Article
How long does the louse life cycle take?	2-3 weeks	Link to Answer Article
What is the name of the generalised condition lice cause?	Pediculosis	Link to Answer Article
Which species is affected by only sucking lice?	Pigs	Link to Answer Article
Are birds affected by sucking or chewing lice?	Chewing	Link to Answer Article
True or False: Mallophaga are more susceptible to systemic insecticides than Alloplura?	False Anopleura lice are more susceptible to systemic insecticide treatment	Link to Answer Article

Nuisance Flies

Question	Answer	Article
*What are the two Muscidae* species of veterinary importance?**	Hydrotaea irritans Head fly Musca spp. Face and house flies	Link to Answer Article
What is the main difference between biting and nuisance flies?	Nuisance flies have sponge-like labellum mouthparts Biting flies have pointed mouthparts for sucking blood	Link to Answer Article
*How do Musca* spp. cause production losses?**	Fly worry Reduced weight gain Reduced milk yield	Link to Answer Article
Give some examples of disease Musca' spp. transmit	Viruses E.g. Enteroviridae Bacteria E.g. Anthrax Helminths E.g. Habronema	Link to Answer Article
*True or False: H. irritans* larvae undergo diapause?**	True Larvae undergo diapause and pupate in spring	span title="Answer article">Link to Answer Article
*What problems can H. irritans* cause in livestock?**	Summer mastitis in cattle Broken Head in sheep Can increase the incidence of secondary blowfly stirke	span title="Answer article">Link to Answer Article

Biting Flies

Question	Answer	Article
*Is Stomoxys calcitrans* a visiting or resident biting fly?**	Visiting	Link to Answer Article
*What are the main recognisable features of Stomoxys calcitrans?*	Forward pointing proboscis Grey colouring Grey stripes on thorax and black spots on abdomen Clear wings	Link to Answer Article
*How do Stomoxys calcitrans* cause production losses?**	Decrease milk production Decrease weight gain Cause fly worry	Link to Answer Article
*Which retrovirus is Stomoxys calcitrans* a vector for?**	Equine infectious anaemia	Link to Answer Article
*What is Haematoba irritans* more commonly known as?**	The horn fly	Link to Answer Article
*Why is Haematoba irritans* easier to control than visiting biting flies?**	Is a resident fly Spends more time in contact with the host	Link to Answer Article
*What are the three most important species of Tabanidae?*	Tabanus Chrysops Haematopota	Link to Answer Article
*How could you identify Tabanidae* species solely on looking at their wing venation?**	Closed discal cell wing venation	Link to Answer Article
*Why do Simuliidae* species have a hump-backed appearance?**	Arched thorax produced a hump-backed appearance	Link to Answer Article
*Why is the life cycle of Simuliidae* species?**	Eggs laid on plants or stones under flowing water Larvae attach to submerged rocks and pupate Conical shaped cocoon Adults emerge en masse Life cycle takes one month to complete	Link to Answer Article
*What are Glossinidae* species more commonly known as and which trypanosomal disease do they transmit to humans?**	Tsetse flies Sleeping sickness	Link to Answer Article
*Why are Ceratopogonidae* species a problem to livestock**	Causes sweet-itch in horses Are vectors for blue tongue Vectors for parasites such as Onchocerca in cattle Cause skin infections in livestock	Link to Answer Article
*What are Culicidae* species better known as?**	Mosquitos	Link to Answer Article
*True or False: Both male and female Culicidae* suck blood?**	False Only female mosquitos suck blood	Link to Answer Article
*What are Psychodidae* the main vectors for?**	Leishmaniasis	Link to Answer Article
*What are Hippobosca* more commonly known as?**	Forest flies	Link to Answer Article
*What are Melophagus* more commonly known as?**	Sheep ked	Link to Answer Article
*What are the main recognisable features of Melophagus* species?**	Hairy Reddish-brown colouring Forward pointing proboscis Narrown head Dorso-ventrally flattened Wingless	Link to Answer Article
*Are Melophagus* species resident or visiting flies?**	Resident Spend the entire life cycle on the host	Link to Answer Article

Myiasis Producing Flies

Question	Answer	Article
What is myiasis?	The parasitism of living animals by dipteran larvae	Link to Answer Article