PRACTICAL-3
Types of Insect Antennae
and Legs
CC-BAG272 2nd Semester
Presented By:
Soumik Dey Roy
Assistant Professor
Department of Agriculture
Brainware University
Types of Insect
Antennae
General Structure of an
Insect Antenna
• Insect antennae are segmented appendages.
•Antennae are generally borne on between and behind the two compound
eyes.
•Insects generally have one pair of antennae.
•All insects except Protura have antennae.
•A typical insect antenna constitutes of following segments ̶
i. Scape: first proximal segment which is connected with head sclerite.
ii. Pedicel: second antennal segment.
iii. Flagellum: third and longest segment of antenna. Flagellum is also
many segmented. The sub-segments of flagellum are called
Flagellomeres or Annuli.
Different Types of Insect
Antennae
1. Setaceous (Bristle like):
Size of the segments decreases from base to
apex. e.g. Leafhopper, Dragonfly, Damselfly.
2. Filiform (Thread like):
Segments are usually cylindrical. Thickness of
segments remains same throughout. e.g.
Grasshopper.
3. Moniliform (Beaded):
Segments are either globular or spherical with
prominent constriction in between e.g. Termite.
4. Serrate (Saw like):
Segments have short triangular projections on
one side. e.g. Longicorn bettle.
5. Unipectinate (Comb like):
Segments with long slender processes on one
side. e.g. Sawfly.
6. Bipectinate (Double comb like):
Segments with long slender lateral processes
on both the sides e.g. Silkworm moth.
7. Clavate (Clubbed):
Antenna enlarges gradually towards the tip. e.g.
Blister beetle.
8. Capitate (Knobbed):
Terminal segments become enlarged suddenly.
e.g. Butterfly.
9. Lamellate (Plate like):
Antennal tip is expanded laterally on one side to
form flat plates. e.g. Lamellicorn beetle.
10. Aristate:
The terminal segment is enlarged. It bears a
conspicuous dorsal bristle called arista. e.g.
House fly.
11. Stylate:
Terminal segment bear a style like process.
e.g. Horse fly, Robber fly.
12. Plumose (Feathery):
Segments with long whorls of hairs e.g. Male
mosquito.
13. Pilose (Hairy):
Antenna is less feathery with few hairs at
the junction of flagellomeres. e.g. Female
mosquito.
14. Geniculate (Elbowed):
Scape is long; remaining segments are small
and are arranged at an angle to the first
resembling an elbow joint. e.g. Ant, weevil and
honey bee.
15. Flabellate (Fan like):
Very small, third and subsequent segments with
side processes giving a fan like arrangements.
e.g. Strepsipterans/ stylopids, cedar beetles.
Types of Insect
Legs
General Structure of an
•Insect Leg
Insect legs are segmented appendages.
•Legs are generally borne on both sides of the three thoracic segments
(viz. prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax).
Coxa
•Insects have three pairs of leg. Fe
•A typical insect leg constitutes of ur m
following segments ̶ Trochante
r
i. Coxa: first proximal leg
segment which is connected
with thoracic pleuron.
ii. Trochanter: second leg
segment b/w. coxa and femur.
iii. Femur: third and stoutest
a
segment of leg.
bi
Ti
iv. Tibia: fourth segment of leg
which is usually long and
Tarsu
provided with longitudinal s Tarsome
spines. re
v. Tarsus: fifth segment of leg
which is furthermore divided Pre-tarsus
into 3-5 sub-segments termed Tarsal
Claw
as ‘tarsomeres’.
Different Types of
Insect Legs
1. Ambulatorial (Walking Leg):
Simple type of leg, no modifications. Femur and tibia
are long.
Ex. Fore leg and middle legs of grasshopper.
torial
Ambula
Legs
2. Cursorial (Running Leg):
Leg suited for running. Femur is not swollen. Legs
are long and slender.
Ex. All three pairs of legs of cockroach.
3. Saltatorial (Jumping Leg):
Femur is swollen and provided with strong muscles
for jumping. Trochanter is fused with femur.
Ex. Hind legs of grasshopper.
4. Scansorial (Clinging Leg):
Tibia is stout and modified into a thumb-like
process, suited for clinging.
Ex. All three pairs of legs of head louse.
5. Natatorial (Swimming Leg):
Femur, tibia and first four tarsomeres are broad
and flattened, provided with long hairs/setae.
Legs are suited for swimming.
6. Fossorial (Digging Legs):
Femur is stout, tibia and tarsus provided with
strongly pointed tines. Leg suited for digging.
Ex. Fore legs of mole cricket.
7. Raptorial (Grasping Leg):
Coxae elongated. Femur stout and grooved, tibia fits
inside the femoral groove. Both femur and tibia are
provided with spines. Leg suited for capturing prey,
no use in locomotion.
8. Foragial Leg: Ex. Fore legs of Preying Mantis.
Fore and middle legs provided with long hairs for
pollen collection. Hind tibia has a shallow cavity for
storing pollen. It is known as ‘Pollen Basket’ or
‘Corbicula’.
Ex. Legs of worker honeybees. cula
Corbi
9. Sticking Leg:
Pre-tarsus provided with a pair of pads/‘Pulvilli’ and
a median spine like ‘empodium’. Legs suited for
sticking to smooth surfaces.
Ex. All three pairs of legs of housefly.
10.Prolegs or Abdominal Legs:
2-5 pairs of short, fleshy, non-segmented legs
are found in the abdomen of caterpillars. Prolegs
are provided with small circlets of hooks at the
tip, known as ‘crochets’.
Thank
You
