Key words

abdomen
exoskeleton
spiracle
thorax

Kingdom Animalia:
Insecta
Grasshopper
Lateral view
abdomen

thorax

head

The insects

In terms of numbers, the insects are

the most successful group on the
planet. There are both more individual
insects and more species of insects
than all the species of all other
Animalia groups combined.

antenna
forewing

compound
eye

Insect body
structure
Insect bodies have three
regions: the head, thorax, and
abdomen. They have six jointed legs
and many have pairs of wings. The
whole of the body is covered by a
tough exoskeleton made of a tough,
fibrous material called chitin.
The head is well supplied with sense
organs, including compound eyes that
are capable of forming accurate
images. The antennae can detect
vibrations, and some insects have
extremely sensitive chemical detectors
that can smell things over huge
distances.
Insects do not possess lungs. Gaseous
exchange takes place through holes in
the exoskeleton called spiracles.
These communicate with a network of
tubes running throughout the insect
body. Insects have no circulatory
system and this, combined with
the absence of lungs, means that
they cannot grow beyond a
certain size or they will be unable
to get oxygen to the innermost parts
of their bodies.
Some insects (ants, bees) have
complex social structures with
intricate behavior patterns. These sorts
of insects often live in large
communities with a single queen,
producing most of the young.

Diagram Visual Information Ltd.

legs
spiracles

Leg

Lateral view of head

coxa
compound eye
trochanter
gena
maxilla
femur

antenna

ocelli

frons
tibia

clypeus
mandible
labrum
maxillary
palp

tarsus

labium
pretarsus

labial palp