TEST OF PRACTICALS ON GRASSHOPPER AND PRAYING MANTIS.
TEST OF PRACTICALS ON GRASSHOPPER AND PRAYING MANTIS.
SPECIMEN: FRESHLY PRESERVED GRASSHOPPER OR LOCUST.
The mode of nutrition is holozoic, and the method of feeding is herbivorous.
They feed on vegetation and could be either a primary consumer or a second trophic level.
Animals that feed on grasshoppers in a food chain are lizards, fowl and other carnivorous and omnivorous birds.
Grasshopper has an exoskeleton composed of Chitin that protects it against desiccation and mechanical injury.
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Hind legs are larger, more powerful and have spines.
Mode of Reproduction is sexual with oviparity.
They go through an Incomplete metamorphosis life cycle.
Habitat:
- Grassland
- Vegetation
- Farm
- Fields
- Plants such as yams, cassava, vegetables, cereals (maize, rice)
Scientific Classification
Phylum Arthropoda
Reasons:
- Presence of a chitinous exoskeleton
- Metameric segmentation
- Presence of jointed appendages attached to each segment.
- Bilaterally symmetrical
- Triploblastic coelomate
- Open circulation (haemocilic)
- Undergo moulting.
Class Insecta
Reasons:
- Presence of three body divisions
- Presence of a pair of antennae
- Presence of three pairs of thoracic legs
- Presence of a pair of compound eyes
- Presence of spiracles for breathing
Order: Orthoptera
Reasons:
- Presence of chewing mouth parts
- Presence of a pair of leathery fore wings and membranous hind wings
- Presence of a pair of long hind legs
- Other examples in the same Order: Cricket, locust
Observable features
- Colours: Please specify if green or brown.
- Large hind limbs
- Three pairs of walking legs
- A pair of hard leather narrow fore wings
- A pair of membranous hind wings
- Segmented abdomen (11 abdominal segments)
- Tympanum on the abdomen
- A pair of compound eyes
- A pair of antennae
- Spiracles on the thorax and abdominal segments
- Chewing mouth parts
- Spines on legs for movement
Adaptive Features in Grasshopper to its habitat.
- Long, powerful hind limbs are used for jumping in search of food and to escape predators
- First two pairs of legs for landing and walking
- A pair of membranous hind wings for flying
- A pair of leathery forewings protects the hind wings
- Chewing mouth parts for feeding
- Spiracles for gaseous exchange
- Long antennae for sensitivity to sound
- Colour for camouflage
- A pair of compound eyes for vision
- Tympanum on the sides of the abdomen to detect vibration
Observable features to escape danger
- Wings for flying
- Colour provides camouflage
- Long, powerful hind limbs used for jumping
- A pair of compound eyes for vision
- Tympanum to detect vibration
- A pair of antennae for sensitivity.
Observable features for locomotion.
- Long hind legs for jumping
- Wings for flying
- Middle and forelegs for landing and walking
Observable features for feeding
- Chewing and biting mouthparts
- Maxillary and labial palps help to choose suitable food
- Maxillae procure /pick up / direct food to mandibles
- Mandibles cut food into pieces (biting and chewing)/mastication
- Labrum holds food
- Labium prevents food from leaving the mandibles (from falling off) when being chewed
Relationship between a grasshopper and a plant
- The plant is the primary producer, and the grasshopper is the primary consumer in a food chain
- The plant provides food for the grasshopper.
- It also provides the grasshopper with shelter and camouflage
- The grasshopper feeds directly on the plant
Effects of grasshoppers on agriculture (crops/plants)
- It is a pest of crops.
- Uses its chewing mouth parts to eat leaves of crops.
- This leads to poor growth and reduced yield
Sense organs of the organism.
- Long antennae for sensitivity to sound
- A pair of compound eyes for vision
- Tympanum on the sides of the abdomen to detect vibration
Observable features on the abdomen.
- Tympanum on each side of the first abdominal segment.
- Ovipositor in females
- Cerci present
- Spiracles
Features of evolutionary significance
- Trachea and spiracles for respiration on land
- A chitinous exoskeleton to prevent evaporation of water on land
- Legs for walking on land
- Wings for flying
- Clawed digits
Economic importance of the Grasshopper
- Pests of plants such as cereal crops
- Source of food (Protein)
- Used as fishing bait
- Vector of plant pathogens
- Destroys vegetation
- Causes financial loss to governments in controlling them
Agricultural importance of the grasshopper
- Feeds on green stems, leaves and fruits of farm crops
- Effects of grasshoppers on crop production
- Destroy plants by
- Chewing green stems and leaves.
- Feed on fruits
- Reduce yield
Control measures of grasshoppers and locusts
- Use of insecticides
- Sterilisation of the males
- Introduction of chemicals to make the female lay eggs in the dry season
Similarities between the cockroach and the grasshopper
- Leathery forewings and membranous hind wings
- Chewing mouth parts
- A pair of antennae
- A pair of compound eyes
- Three pairs of thoracic legs
- Relatively Larger prothorax
- Presence of spiracles
Differences between cockroach and grasshopper
| COCKROACH | GRASSHOPPER |
| Dorsoventrally fattened | Laterally flattened |
| Long antennae | Short antennae |
| Legs equally developed | Larger hind limbs. |
| Elongated head | V-shaped head |
| Brown colour | Green or light brown. |
| Spines absent. | Spines on hind limbs |
| Ovipositor is absent | Ovipositor present |
Similarities between the grasshopper and the tick
- They are both arthropods
- Metameric segmentation
- Presence of jointed appendages
- Chitinous exoskeleton
- Bilateral symmetry
- Presence of eyes
- Presence of legs
Similarities between the grasshopper and the soldier termite
- Three pairs of thoracic legs
- Metameric segmentation
- Antennae
- Spiracles
- Three body divisions
Differences between the grasshopper and soldier termite.
| GRASSHOPPER | SOLDIER TERMITE |
| Presence of wings | Absent wings |
| Sex organs present | Sex organ absent |
| Eyes present | Eyes absent |
| Larger hind legs | Equal size of legs |
| V-shaped head | Elongated head. |
| Relatively small head | Relatively large head. |
SPECIMEN: FRESHLY PRESERVED PRAYING MANTIS.
Habitat:
- Vegetation
- grassland
- school farm/garden
Biological classification
Phylum Arthropoda
Reason;
- Presence of a chitinous exoskeleton
- Metameric segmentation
- Presence of jointed appendages attached to each segment.
- Bilaterally symmetrical
- Triploblastic coelomate
- Open circulation (haemocilic)
- Undergo moulting.
Class Insecta
Reason:
- Presence of a pair of compound eyes
- Presence of three body divisions (head, thorax and abdomen)
- Presence of a pair of antennae
- Presence of three pairs of thoracic legs
Order Dictyoptera
Reason:
- Presence of leathery forewings
- Presence of biting mouthparts
- Features of special interest in praying mantis
- The presence of green colour provides camouflage
- Larger forelimbs modified (with spines) to catch prey
- Leathery forewings for protection against desiccation and mechanical injury
Features for feeding.
- Large forelimbs to catch prey
- Chewing mouthparts for chewing food
Observable features to escape danger
- Wings for flying.
- Green colour provides camouflage.
- Leathery forewings for protection
- Large compound eyes
- Legs
Observable features for locomotion
- Legs
- Wings
Economic importance:
- Biological control of pests
- Source of food in the food chain.
- Cause damage to farm crops.
