Portal:Insects
The insects portal
Insects (from Latin insectum, a calque of Greek ἔντομον [éntomon], “cut into sections”) are a class within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax, and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. They are among the most diverse group of animals on the planet and include more than a million described species and represent more than half of all known living organisms. The number of extant species is estimated at between six and ten million, and potentially represent over 90% of the differing metazoan life forms on Earth. Insects may be found in nearly all environments, although only a small number of species occur in the oceans, a habitat dominated by another arthropod group, the crustaceans.
Selected article
The species occurs locally across Central Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa, where its population is considered stable. Its numbers have declined in Northern Europe, leading to its European status of 'vulnerable'. Its range in Britain is restricted to the south coast of Dorset, however it is locally abundant and its numbers currently are perhaps at their greatest since its discovery there.
With a wingspan of 24–28 millimetres (0.9–1.1 in), females being larger than males, the Lulworth Skipper is a small butterfly, the smallest member of the Thymelicus genus in Europe and among the smallest butterflies in Britain. Aside from the size difference, the sexes are distinguished by females having a distinct circle of golden marks on each forewing. Due to their likeness to the rays around the eye of a peacock's feather, these are often known as 'sun-ray' markings, and they can faintly appear on males.
Did you know
- ... that the extinct rove beetle genus Ektatotricha is known from 15 beetles trapped in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar?
- ... that "Sheridan's Green Hairstreak", Callophrys sheridanii, is Wyoming's state butterfly?
- ... that the extinct sawfly Pseudosiobla cambelli is one of three species of Pseudosiobla known from the fossil record?
- ... that members of Senostoma kill their hosts when ready to emerge?
Things you can do
- Create articles: There are thousands of family-level through species-level articles that have yet to be started... Pick your favorite and start researching!
- Find photos for articles: Many entomology–related articles would be substantially better with the addition of one or more photographs. Feel free to take your own and upload them, or find ones with the appropriate licenses and upload them here!
- Add or update a {{Taxobox}}: Add more information like species authors or create a completely new taxobox for an entomology article that needs one!
- Categorize articles: Figure out what categories to add to each article so that others can find them more easily. Also use the {{WikiProject Insects}} template to classify the status of any articles related to insect taxa.
Related portals
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Gryllotalpa brachyptera is a mole cricket (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae), native to Australia. Mole crickets are thick-bodied insects about 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) long, with large beady eyes and shovel-like forelimbs highly developed for burrowing and swimming. The adult mole cricket may fly as far as 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) during the mating season, is active most of the year, and spends the winter in hibernation.
Subcategories
WikiProjects
Main WikiProject:
Related projects:
- WikiProject Arthropods
- WikiProject Spiders
- WikiProject Animals
- WikiProject Tree of Life
- WikiProject Biology
Daughter projects:
Topics
Tasks
- Create articles: There are thousands of family-level through species-level articles that have yet to be started... Pick your favorite and start researching!
- Find photos for articles: Many entomology–related articles would be substantially better with the addition of one or more photographs. Feel free to take your own and upload them, or find ones with the appropriate licenses and upload them here!
- Add or update a {{Taxobox}}: Add more information like species authors or create a completely new taxobox for an entomology article that needs one!
- Categorize articles: Figure out what categories to add to each article so that others can find them more easily. Also use the {{WikiProject Insects}} template to classify the status of any articles related to insect taxa.
