Rainforest Insects Insects are of course one of the most diverse groups of animals in the world. More than a million species have been identified and it is presumed there are many more to be discovered. In Australia, over 85,000 species have so far been identified, and it is thought that is an equal amount yet to be discovered. They are usually differentiated from other arthropods by - three pairs of legs, one pair of antennae, usually three body segments, and the possession of wings. With such huge diversity, there are exceptions to these rules, or examples where these features are not so obvious. The name 'bug' is often used to describe insects (and sometimes other creepy-crawlies), but the word 'bug' should really only be used for one group of insects, the sapsuckers of the order Hemiptera.
Script: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide
Bugs: Order Hemiptera Bugs tend to be rounded in shape, with hardened forewings that often fit back over the body rather like a shield. They differ from the superficially similar beetles by their usually shorter antennae and the presence of a pointed mouthpart that most species use to suck sap from plants, or predate on other insects.
Script: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide
Research Reports:
What Is A Beetle, What Is Not A Beetle?
Defence Strategies of Beetles.
Some Beetles Co-exist in Other Insect Colonies.
The Role of Beetles in Recycling Rainforest Nutrient.
Beetles, the Little Things that Run the World
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