Talk:Insect

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Reviewed version: February 12, 2006

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[edit] Mention the blood of the insects

Unlike other species, insects have glucose in their blood replaced by disaccaridhe called "trehalosis". ("Biokemiaa", Leena Turpeenoja 1999). It should be mentioned since it is also an explanation for seemingly endless stamina of insects and it is also wondrous detail in its own good. :) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.222.238.141 (talk) 08:10, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] A very unusual insect whose article could use expansion

I recently heard about Afrocimex constrictus. There was no article about it here so I created it. But it could use expansion from an expert. Grundle2600 (talk) 05:49, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Differences in the number of species possible

In the first paragraph, it says: "...with estimates of undescribed species as high as 30 million..."

In the second paragraph, it says: "Estimates of the total number of current species, including those not yet known to science, range from two million to fifty million..." —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.218.7.59 (talk) 19:53, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

The problem is different sources. The "50 million" number is a well-known estimate from Terry Erwin of the Smithsonian Institution, based on canopy fogging studies in Peru, back in the 1980's. Some people have since come to feel that estimate is too high, and have subsequently said that 30 million is a more reasonable upper limit. So, if you look at sources that accept Erwin's estimate, it's 50, and if you look at sources that DON'T accept Erwin's estimate, they say 30. Of course, if the molecular systematists continue on their present path, and they redefine "species" so that they are based solely on DNA, then the estimate will jump to something on the order of 200 million "species" of insects. Dyanega (talk) 20:52, 3 June 2008 (UTC)