Mecoptera
Sign in to saveMecoptera (from Ancient Greek μῆκος (mêkos), meaning 'length', and πτερόν (pterón), meaning 'wing') is an order of insects in the superorder Holometabola with about six hundred species in nine families worldwide. Mecopterans are sometimes called scorpionflies after their largest family, Panorpidae, in which the males have enlarged genitals raised over the body that look similar to the stingers of scorpions, and long beaklike rostra. The Bittacidae, or hangingflies, are another prominent family and are known for their elaborate mating rituals, in which females choose mates based on the quality
AI overview
Mecoptera is a worldwide order of about 600 insect species, commonly known as scorpionflies because males of the largest family have enlarged genitals that resemble scorpion stingers and long beak-like mouths. While most people have never heard of them, these insects are notable for their unusual body features and complex behaviors, such as the elaborate mating rituals seen in hangingflies where females carefully select their mates.
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Article
14 sectionsContents
- Diversity
- Evolution and phylogeny
- Taxonomic history
- Fossil history
- External relationships
- Internal relationships
- Biology
- Morphology
- Ecology
- Mating behaviour
- Life-cycle
- Interaction with humans
- References
- External links
Mecoptera (from Ancient Greek μῆκος (mêkos), meaning 'length', and πτερόν (pterón), meaning 'wing') is an order of insects in the superorder Holometabola with about six hundred species in nine families worldwide. Mecopterans are sometimes called scorpionflies after their largest family, Panorpidae, in which the males have enlarged genitals raised over the body that look similar to the stingers of scorpions, and long beaklike rostra. The Bittacidae, or hangingflies, are another prominent family and are known for their elaborate mating rituals, in which females choose mates based on the quality of gift prey offered to them by the males. A smaller group is the snow scorpionflies, family Boreidae, adults of which are sometimes seen walking on snowfields. In contrast, the majority of species in the order inhabit moist environments in tropical locations.
The Mecoptera are closely related to the Siphonaptera (fleas), with some studies suggesting that the fleas are a derived group of parasitic mecopterans, and a little more distantly related to the Diptera (true flies). They are somewhat fly-like in appearance, being small to medium-sized insects with long slender bodies and narrow membranous wings. Most breed in moist environments such as leaf litter or moss, and the eggs may not hatch until the wet season arrives. The larvae are caterpillar-like and mostly feed on vegetable matter, and the non-feeding pupae may pass through a diapause until weather conditions are favorable.