Insects are the only invertebrate group with members able to achieve sustained powered flight, and all flying insects derive from one common ancestor. As it allows for rapid yet stable movement, many insects adopt a tripedal gait in which they walk with their legs touching the ground in alternating triangles, composed of the front and rear on one side with the middle on the other side. The most diverse insect groups appear to have coevolved with flowering plants.Īdult insects typically move about by walking, flying, or sometimes swimming. Fossilized insects of enormous size have been found from the Paleozoic Era, including giant dragonflies with wingspans of 55 to 70 cm (22 to 28 in). The higher level relationship of the insects is unclear. Insects that undergo three-stage metamorphosis lack a pupal stage and adults develop through a series of nymphal stages. The immature stages often differ from the adults in structure, habit and habitat, and can include a usually immobile pupal stage in those groups that undergo four-stage metamorphosis. Insect growth is constrained by the inelastic exoskeleton and development involves a series of molts. Insects may be found in nearly all environments, although only a small number of species reside in the oceans, which are dominated by another arthropod group, crustaceans, which recent research has indicated insects are nested within. The total number of extant species is estimated at between six and ten million potentially over 90% of the animal life forms on Earth are insects. 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. Their blood is not totally contained in vessels some circulates in an open cavity known as the haemocoel.

Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects (from Latin insectum) are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta.

Diversity of insects from different orders.

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