Zoraptera
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Zorotypus acanthothorax Engel & Grimaldi |
The insect order Zoraptera contains one family (Zorotypidae) which in turn contains one extant genus, Zorotypus, though an extinct animal of the Cretaceous era is classified as Xenozorotypus burmiticus within the same family.
Commonly called zorapterans, the members of this order are small ( 3 mm or less) insects that resemble termites (Order Isoptera) in appearance and in their gregarious behavior, although related to the webspinners (Order Embioptera). About thirty species are found world-wide. They live beneath rotting wood, eating fungal spores and detritus. The name Zoraptera comes from the Greek words "zor" meaning pure and "a-ptera" meaning wingless
Although zorapterans have four wings, both sexes have winged and wingless forms, with the wingless forms lacking eyes. Under good conditions it is the blind and wingless form that dominates, but if their surroundings become too tough, they produce offspring which develop into winged adults with eyes. This form is used as a way to spread to new places where they can live. They have 9-segmented, moniliform antennae.
[edit] References
- Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S. (2005). Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-82149-5.
- Engel, M.S. & D.A. Grimaldi (2002) The first Mesozoic Zoraptera (Insecta). American Museum Novitates 3362: 1-20.
- Rafael, J.A. & M.S. Engel (2006) A new species of Zorotypus from Central Amazonia, Brazil (Zoraptera: Zorotypidae). American Museum Novitates 3528: 1-11.
