College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences

Department of Entomology

Taxonomy of Adult Insects

ENTOM 439/539

Credits: Variable Credit: 2 or 4

Instructor: William J. Turner

Prerequisites: ENTOM 340 or 343. Recommended ZOOL 322

Texts:

  • Borror, D. J., C. A. Triplehorn and N. F. Johnson (1989). An Introduction to the Study of Insects. 6th. ed. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA. 827 p.
  • Borror, D. J. and R. E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to the Insects of America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA. 404 p.

Course Objectives

For the students to be able to:

  1. Recognize orders and more important families of insects.
  2. Understand the basis of relationship between taxa from both the biological and morphological aspects.
  3. Develop techniques useful in taxonomic entomology.
  4. Appreciate the importance of taxonomic entomology to the biological, medical, and agricultural sciences.
  5. Become familiar with sources of pertinent systematic literature, particularly taxonomic entomological works.

Lecture Outline:

# of Lectures

Topic

1

Introduction to taxonomic entomology.

1

History and theory of insect classification. Relationships between orders of insects.

1

Apterygota: Systematics, biology and literature.

1

Paleoptera: Systematics, biology and literature.

3

Neoptera (Exopterygota): Systematics, biology and literature.

20

Neoptera (Endopterygota): Systematics, biology and literature.

Laboratory Outline:

# of Lectures

Topic

1

Techniques and methods for making an insect collection.

2

Review of insect orders and non-insect arthropods.

2

Recognition of Apterygota and Paleoptera; characters and methods of study.

6

Recognition of Neoptera (Exopterygota): characters and methods of study.

19

Recognition of Neoptera (Endopterygota): characters and methods of study.

Grading Criteria:

  • Undergraduates
    • Lecture mid-terms (best 2 of 3) 20%
    • Laboratory mid-terms (best 4 of 5) 20%
    • Insect collection 40%
    • Field notebook 10%
    • Assignments 5%
    • Subjective score 5%.
  • Graduates
    • Lecture mid-terms (3) 30%
    • Laboratory mid-terms (5) 20%
    • Insect collection 30%
    • Field notebook 10%
    • Assignments 7%
    • Subjective score 3%.

ALL STUDENTS:

Download Course Handouts Here (Password Required).

Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-6382 USA, 509-335-5422, Contact Us