Insect
Insect (In-sekt)
Insects (from Latin insectum) are a class of invertebrates within the arthropod phylum that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. Insects are the most diverse group of animals; they include more than a million described species and represent more than half of all known living organisms.
Etymology
The word "insect" comes from the Latin word insectum, meaning "cut into sections". It refers to the body plan of the insect, which is divided into three sections: head, thorax, and abdomen.
Pronunciation
Insect is pronounced as /ˈɪnsɛkt/.
Related Terms
- Arthropod: An invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired jointed appendages.
- Exoskeleton: A rigid external covering for the body in some invertebrate animals, especially arthropods.
- Thorax: The middle section of the body of an insect, to which the wings and legs are attached.
- Abdomen: The posterior part of the body of an arthropod, especially the segments of an insect’s body behind the thorax.
- Antennae: An appendage attached to the head of an animal, particularly insects, crustaceans and arachnids. They are used for the sense of touch and smell.
- Compound Eyes: A visual organ found in arthropods such as insects and crustaceans. It consists of up to several thousand light-sensitive, focusing ommatidia; moved by muscles, the eyes are flexible and can orient in different directions.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Insect
- Wikipedia's article - Insect
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