PREFACE

The goal of this article is to help in the identification and assessment of insects found in one's vivarium. This article will only cover Orders of the Phylum Arthropoda.

Identification characteristics are listed under each category. A 'risk' assessment is also located under each Order.

INDEX

1.Phylum Arthropoda

Subphylum Uniramia

A. Class Insecta-Insects

I. Order Odonata-Dragonflies, Damselflies
II. Order Ephemeroptera- Mayflies
III. Order Plecoptera- Stoneflies
IV. Order Hemiptera- True Bugs
V. Order Mantodea- Mantids
VI. Order Orthoptera- Grasshoppers, Katydids, Crickets
VII. Order Megaloptera- Dobsonflies, Fishflies
VIII. Order Neuroptera- Lacewings
IX. Order Coleoptera- Beetles
X. Order Trichoptera- Caddisflies
XI. Order Hymenoptera- Wasps, Ants, Bees
XII. Order Lepidoptera- Butterflies, Moths
XIII. Order Isoptera- Termites
XIV. Order Homoptera- Aphids, Cicadas, Leafhoppers
XV. Order Diptera- Flies
XVI. Order Thysanura- Silverfish, Bristletails, Firebrats
XVII. Order Collembola- Springtails
XVIII. OrderDermaptera- Earwigs
XIX. Order Mecoptera- Scorpionflies
XX. Order Psocoptera- Booklice, Psocids
XXI. Order Siphonaptera- Fleas
XXII. Order Phthiraptera- Chewing lice, Suckinging lice
XXIII. Order Thysanoptera- Thrips
XXIV. Order Phasmida- Leaf Insects, Stick Insects "walkingsticks"
XXV. Order Blattaria- Cockroaches

B. Class Chilopoda- Centipedes

I. Order Scutigeromorpha- House Centipedes
II. Order Lithobiomorpha
III. Order Scolopendromorpha
IX. Order Geophilomorpha
X. Order Craterostigmomorpha
C. Class Diplopoda- Millipedes

I. Order Polydesmida
II. Order Spirobolida
III. Order Cambalida
Subclass Penicillata- Soft Millipedes
I. Order Polyxenida

Subphylum Chelicerata

A. Class Arachnida- Arachnids

I. Order Araneae- Spiders
II. Order Scorpiones- Scorpions
III. Order Acarina- Mites
IX. Order Opiliones- Daddy Long Legs, Harvestmen
X. Order Solifugae- Solifugids "Wind Scorpion, Sun Spider, Camel Spider, Solpugid"
XI. Order Pseudoscorpiones- pseudoscorpions
XII. Order Uropygi- Vinegaroons "Whipscorpions", Tailless Whipscorpions

Subphylum Crustacea

A. Class Malacostrace

I. Order Isopoda- roly-polies, woodlice, pillbugs, isopods
II. Order Decapoda- Crabs, Shrimp, Lobsters, Crayfish

Phylum Arthropoda

Arthropods have jointed and a hard exoskeleton composed of chitin. Their exoskeleton provides protection and support. The rigid nature of the exoskeleton means that arthropods can only grow through periodic molting of the cuticle (ecdysis).

Subphylum Uniramia

Largest major group of arthropods. Uniramians have a single branch in their appendages (uniramious).

A. Class Insecta-Insects

Insects are divided into almost 40 different orders mostly based on the basis of mouthparts, wings, and other morphological features. Although the mouth parts on insects appear to be entirely different they are composed of the same three pairs homologous appendages.

Tagmatization of Class Insecta: G=Genital Opening



I. Order Odonata-Dragonflies, Damselflies
II. Order Ephemeroptera- Mayflies
III. Order Plecoptera- Stoneflies
IV. Order Hemiptera- True Bugs
V. Order Mantodea- Mantids
VI. Order Orthoptera- Grasshoppers, Katydids, Crickets, Cockroaches
VII. Order Megaloptera- Dobsonflies, Fishflies
VIII. Order Neuroptera- Lacewings
IX. Order Coleoptera- Beetles
X. Order Trichoptera- Caddisflies
XI. Order Hymenoptera- Wasps, Ants, Bees
XII. Order Lepidoptera- Butterflies, Moths
XIII. Order Isoptera- Termites
XIV. Order Homoptera- Aphids, Cicadas, Leafhoppers
XV. Order Diptera- Flies
XVI. Order Thysanura- Silverfish, Bristletails, Firebrats
XVII. Order Collembola- Springtails
XVIII. OrderDermaptera- Earwigs
XIX. Order Mecoptera- Scorpionflies
XX. Order Psocoptera- Booklice, Psocids
XXI. Order Siphonaptera- Fleas
XXII. Order Phthiraptera- Chewing lice, Suckinging lice
XXIII. Order Thysanoptera- Thrips
XXIV. Order Phasmida- Leaf Insects, Stick Insects "walkingsticks"
XXV. Order Blattaria- Cockroaches



B. Class Chilopoda- Centipedes

Centipedes are usually found in moist habitats such as leaf litter or under logs or rocks. They vary in size from 3-6 centimeters with some tropical forms reaching 18-26 centimeters. Centipedes can have anywhere from 15 to 177 pairs of legs, their is always an odd number of pairs of legs. Centipedes are predatory and use their large fangs to hunt worms and insects. The head has two pairs of Maxillae. The jaws are covered by the first pair of legs (maxillipeds), which look and functions as jaws, they contain poison glands. They live in soil and humus and beneath stones, logs, and bark.

Tagmatization of Class Chilopoda: G=genital opening


I. Order Scutigeromorpha- House Centipedes
II. Order Lithobiomorpha-
III. Order Scolopendromorpha
IX. Order Geophilomorpha
X. Order Craterostigmomorpha



C. Class Diplopoda- Millipedes

Millipedes are important decomposers of rotten wood, eating mostly dead and decaying plant matter however some are carnivores and others eat moist living plants. Many groups of millipedes have well-developed chemical defense glands, which produce repellents and toxins. Millipedes have from 47 to 375 pairs of legs and from 25 to 100 body segments.

Tagmatization of Class Diplopoda: G=genital opening



I. Order Polydesmida
II. Order Spirobolida
III. Order Cambalida
IV. Order Platydesmida
V. Order Spirostreptida
VI. Order Polyzoniida


Subclass Penicillata- Soft Millipedes


I. Order Polyxenida



Subphylum Chelicerata

A. Class Arachnida- Arachnids


Tagmatization of Class Arachnida: G=genital opening



I. Order Araneae- Spiders
II. Order Scorpiones- Scorpions
III. Order Acarina- Mites, Ticks
IX. Order Opiliones- Daddy Long Legs, Harvestmen
X. Order Solifugae- Solifugids "Wind Scorpion, Sun Spider, Camel Spider, Solpugid"
XI. Order Pseudoscorpiones- pseudoscorpions
XII. Order Uropygi- Vinegaroons "Whipscorpions", Tailless Whipscorpions



Subphylum Crustacea

Tagmatization of Class Crustacea: G=genital opening



A. Class Malacostrace

I. Order Isopoda- roly-polies, woodlice, pillbugs, isopods
II. Order Decapoda- Crabs, Shrimps, Lobsters, Crayfish