Course Contents

Course Contents General characteristics of insects. Relationship with other Arthropods, splitting up into different evolutionary lines, Reasons for success of the insects in diverse environments. Hard Parts: General segmentation, tagmatosis and organization. Cuticle: Detailed structure along with its biochemistry. Epidermal layer; its structure and function. Basement membrane. Colors of insects. cuticular outgrowths and appendages sclerotization. Head: cephalization, sclerites, modifications. Antennae: Different modes of ingestion and types of mouth parts. Neck: Sclerites. Thorax: Sclerites: legs, their different modifications and functions. Wings: Origin; Different regions. Development and basal attachments, main veins and their branches (generalized insects), wing coupling. Abdomen: Secondary appendages and external genitalia, Flight; types of flight. Aerodynamics, fuels, endoskeleton; head, thorax and abdomen. Soft Parts: Muscular system; basic structure, types of muscles; muscle contraction and its energetics, comparative structure of all the systems, e.g., digestive, excretory, respiratory, incubatory, and nervous system and their physiology. Sense organs: sound and light producing organs. Nutritive requirements: Fat body, exocrine and endocrine glands including pheromones and their functions. Reproduction: Reproductive organs and different types of reproduction in insects, egg fertilization and maturation. Development: Embryology up to dorsal closure, different types of metamorphosis, apolysis and ecdysis and the role of endocrine secretions. Ecology: Carrying capacity ‘r’ and k selection, Food chains, predation and competition, insect defenses and adaptations, diapause insect population and community studies, insect communication. Practicals 1. Preparation of permanent slides. All the hard parts (antennae, mouth parts, wings, legs, terminal segments and genitalia). 2. Different systems, especially digestive, reproductive of the following insects. American cockroach, Gryllus, grasshopper, housefly, butterfly, mosquito, any common beetle. Red cotton bug. Wasp and honey bee. 3. Sympathetic nervous system of cockroach and gryllus. Salivary glands of cockroach, red cotton bug and honey bee.

Course Synopsis

1. To describe the reasons for evolutionary success of insects. 2. To establish the understanding about body structure of insects. 3. Tofamiliarize the students about different physiological processes of insect. 4. To introduce concepts of insect ecology.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: 1. ACQUIRE the basic knowledge of the body structure of insects. 2. UNDERSTAND the role of structures in different life processes of insects. 3. CLASSIFY the insects at order level. 4. ASSOCIATE the insect structure, physiology and ecological interactions with their abundance and huge diversity. 5. DIFFERENTIATE the structural differences between different insects. 6. ANALYZE the impact of environmental factors on insect life.