Pterygota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PterygotaTemporal range: Upper Carboniferous to Recent, 320 mya – 0
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| Giant Honey Bee Apis dorsata on Tribulus terrestris (order Hymenoptera) | |
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Pancrustacea
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Pterygota
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Pterygota is a large group, or subclass, of insects. It includes almost all insects that have wings. This group also has insects whose ancestors once had wings but lost them over time.
Contents
What are Pterygota?
The word "Pterygota" comes from the Greek word pteryx, which means "wing". This group is special because its members usually have wings. These wings help them fly and move around.
Some insects in the Pterygota group do not have wings today. However, their ancient relatives did. They lost their wings through evolution because they no longer needed them to survive.
Why are Wings Important?
Wings were a huge step forward for insects. Being able to fly helped insects spread to many new places. It also helped them find food and escape from predators. This led to a massive increase in the number of different insect types. This process is called adaptive radiation.
Most insects you see today belong to the Pterygota. Insects that never developed wings are in a different group called Apterygota.
Main Groups of Pterygota
The Pterygota are divided into two main groups: the Palaeoptera and the Neoptera. Scientists are still discussing how some of these groups are best classified.
Palaeoptera: Ancient Wings
The Palaeoptera group includes some of the oldest types of winged insects. These insects cannot fold their wings flat over their backs. Instead, their wings usually stick out to the sides or straight up.
Examples of Palaeoptera include:
Neoptera: Newer Wings
The Neoptera group includes most modern winged insects. A key feature of Neoptera is that they can fold their wings flat over their backs. This ability helps them squeeze into tight spaces. It also protects their wings when they are not flying.
The Neoptera group is further divided into two superorders:
Exopterygota: Gradual Change
Insects in the Exopterygota group go through a gradual change as they grow. Young insects, called nymphs, look similar to the adults. They just get bigger and grow wings slowly.
Examples of Exopterygota include:
- Grasshoppers and crickets (Orthoptera)
- Earwigs (Dermaptera)
- True bugs (Hemiptera)
- Cockroaches and termites (Blattodea)
- Mantises (Mantodea)
Endopterygota: Complete Metamorphosis
The Endopterygota group is very successful. It includes insects that go through complete metamorphosis. This means they have four distinct life stages:
- An egg
- A larva (like a caterpillar or grub)
- A pupa (a resting stage, like a chrysalis)
- An adult (with wings)
This complete change allows the larva and adult to live in different ways. They can eat different foods and live in different places. This helps them avoid competing with each other.
Examples of Endopterygota include:
- Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera)
- Beetles (Coleoptera)
- Ants, bees, and wasps (Hymenoptera)
- Flies (Diptera)
- Fleas (Siphonaptera)
See also
In Spanish: Pterigotos para niños
