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| Housefly |
Butterfly |
Mosquito |
| The most distinguishing
characteristic of an insect's head is the mouthparts. They may be
designed for chewing food, for sucking it or lapping it up. The
housefly uses its it's mouthparts are used for mopping; up liquid
food. The end of the labium functions like a sponge. A
butterfly sucks up its food through a part of the maxillae that forms a
tube. The mosquito also sucks ups its food. All of its
mouthparts, except the labium, form a needle-like tube called a
fascicle. The ground beetle is a carnivore; it has large mandibles
adapted for piercing and cutting prey. |
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| Beetle |
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Glossary |
labrum - the so-called upper lip.
labium - the so-called lower lip.
palp - a segmented extension.
labial palp - One of a pair of small feeler-like or antenna-like
structures arising from the labium.
mandible - One of the anterior pair of mouthpart structures, commonly
called jaws.
maxilla - one of the paired mouthpart structures immediately posterior
to the mandibles.
maxillary palp - A small feeler-like or antenna-like structure arising
from the maxilla; sensory in function. |
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