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:
- Recognize orders and more important families of insects.
- Understand the basis of relationship between taxa from both the biological and morphological aspects.
- Develop techniques useful in taxonomic entomology.
- Appreciate the importance of taxonomic entomology to the biological, medical, and agricultural sciences.
- 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).