Lecture No.

2
Insect dominance-structural, morphological and physiological factors
responsible for dominance
Animal kingdom is found to be the biggest kingdom in the world. In which 2/3
(75%) of animal kingdom is insects only.
Measures of dominance
More number of species.
Insect existence was recorded 480 million years ago.
Occupying 2/3 of animal population.
Large number of individuals in a single species: e.g. Locust swarm comprising
of 109 number of individuals, occupying large area.
Great variety of habitats.
Long geological history.
Reasons for dominance (11 points)
There are several structural, morphological and physiological factors
responsible for insect dominance. They are:
1. Capacity for flight
Insects possess two pairs of wings which enable to colonize on new source of
food and facilitates rapid escape from unfavourable conditions their enemies. Locusts
and some milk weed butterflies migrated between the countries. Flying capacity of
some of the insects are,
Honeybee - 9 km/h
Hover fly 12 km/h
Hawk moth 17 km/h
Dragonfly 36 km/h
Butterfly 90 km/h
2. More adaptability or universality
Insects are found to exist in all known environments from the equator to the
poles. They found to feed on variety of food materials.
Eg. Insects live on vegetation Phytophagous insects
Living on dead and decaying organic matter Saprophagous insects
Feeding on animals Carnivorous
Live in petroleum well Psilopa petroli

Live in great salt lake Ephydra fly

Live in snow Snow flea (Collembola)
Live in desert Desert locust
Insects of social nature (live in colonies) Termites and ants
3. Smaller size
Majority of insects are small in their size conferring physiological and
ecological advantages. The size ranges from 0.2 mm (small parasitic wasp, North
American beetle Nanosella fungi) to 36 cm (stick insect, Brazilian moth Erebus
agripinna, giant silk moth, atlas moth and goliath beetle). Small size enables the
presence of higher number of insects in a unit area.
Eg. More than 100 aphids can be seen on lab lab pod.
4. Presence of exoskeleton
Insect body is covered with an outer cuticle called exoskeleton which is made
up of a cuticular protein called Chitin. This is light in weight and gives strength,
rigidity and flexibility to the insect body. Exoskeleton also prevents water loss from
the body (desiccation) and protects the internal organs from any physical and
mechanical damage (click beetles and jewel beetles cannot be killed easily).
5. Resistance to desiccation
Insects minimise the water loss from their body surface through prevention of
water loss (wax layer of epicuticle, closable spiracles, egg shell), conservation of
water (capable of utilizing metabolic water, resorption of water from fecal matter by
rectum, use less quantity of water to remove the nitrogenous waste).
6. Tracheal system of respiration
Air tubes or tracheal system ensures direct transfer of adequate oxygen to
every cell of the body. Spiracles through their closing mechanism admit air and
restrict water loss.
7. Reproductive behaviour
a. Reproductive potential of insect is high.
Eg. Egg laying capacity (fecundity) of queen termite is 6000 - 7000
eggs per day for 15 long years and queen bee lays 2000-3000 eggs per day.
b. Short development period.
Eg. Corn aphid produces 16 nymphs per female which reaches the
adulthood within 16 days.

Cottony cushion scale Icerya purchasi has fecundity of 500-1400 eggs

per female and there will be 3-4 broods per year.
c. Presence of special types of reproduction other than oviparity and viviparity
like Polyembryony (development of many individuals from a single egg. Eg.
Parasitic wasp), Parthenogenesis (reproduction without fertilization. Eg.
aphids) and Paedogenesis (reproduction by immature stages. Eg. Certain flies).
8. Presence of complete metamorphosis
More than 82 per cent of insects undergo complete metamorphosis
(holometabolous insects) with four stages (egg, larva, pupa and adult). As the larval
and adult food sources are different, competition for food is less.
9. Presence of defence mechanisms
By different defense mechanisms, insects escape from the enemies to increase
their survival rate.
a. Behavioural mechanism some insects if touched will act as they are dead
called feign to death mechanism or thanatosis. Eg. Red flour beetle.
b. structural mechanism presence of hardened forewing (elytra). Eg.
Beetles.
c. Colorational mechanism some insects attain same colour of
environment. Eg. Stick insect.
d. chemical mechanism some insects have poisonous stings and inject
venom. Eg. Bees and wasps.
10. Higher mobility and stability
Presence of three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings are very much useful for
mobility of insects. Insects uses 3 legs at a time during locomotion, while the
remaining 3 legs are static, which gives greater stability.
11. Communication
Communication behaviour is much developed in insects. Pheromones are used
for

sexual

attraction,

alarm,

aggregation,

caste

determination

etc.

Bees

communication during foraging (bee dance) is unique. Allelochemicals provide

information about host plant, prey, natural enemies and oviposition site etc.

QUESTIONS
1. Which is the dominant group of organism in animal kingdom?
2. Which is the biggest insect by length?
3. Which is the smallest insect by length?
4. Write on the reasons of insect dominance.
5.