Butterfly Anatomy

Give me a break on my artwork ok !!!!!

Below is a generic sketch of a caterpillars

external anatomy depicting the 10 basic

segments and parts.

1. Head capsule - Houses the mandibles or mouth parts that are well developed, simple eyes, antennae and palpi. The later three not very well developed at this stage.

2. Eyes - Not well developed.

3. Thoracic legs - Smaller than the abdominal legs and more hook like on the end for grasping food.

4. Spiracles - The hole in each abdominal section through which the caterpillar breaths. These are connected to a complex system of tubes or tracheae that distribute the oxygen.

5. Abdominal prolegs.

6. Anal proleg.

Below is a sketch of the basic butterfly anatomy

depicting the basic external body parts

1. Forewing - The other half of the pair used for flight.

2. Forewing - The larger of the two pairs of wings. It's shape varies from one species to another. They are covered with scales that give the colour pattern that is used as sex recognition and the production of pheromones.

3. Hind Wing - Smaller of the two pair of wings. It's shape also varies among species.

4. Antenna - The two antennae are used for smell, touch and play a roll in general orientation. Either club like on the end of true butterflies or hooked on the end in skippers.

5. Abdomen - The largest of the three sections of the body. Made up of 11 segments it houses the genitalia, digestive tract and the spiracles through which the butterfly breaths.

6. Middle leg - One of three pair as with all insects, all of which are divided into 4 sections; the coxa, femur, tibia and tarsus.

7. Hind Leg - One of the three pair.

8. Tarsus - Located at the end of the legs are basically a foot and are used to taste and is made up of 5 segments.

9. Compound Eyes - Are sensitive to normal and ultraviolet light.

10. Proboscis - Able to be uncoiled and used to feed like a straw.

11. Palpi - Like lips they are sensitive and used to house the proboscis.

12. Head - Contains the eyes, antennae, palpi and proboscis.

13. Thorax - Houses the muscles necessary for flight and locomotion. It is composed of three sections - the prothorax bearing the forelegs, mesothorax in the middle bearing the middle legs and and fore wings and the metathorax bearing the rear legs and hindwings.

Below are sketches of generic wing venation.

The top being that of the FW or forewing

and the bottom being a HW or hindwing.

1. Tip

2. Costa

3. Cell

4. Base

5. Trailing Edge

6. Outer Margin

7. Costa

8. Cell

9. Base

10. Trailing Edge

11. Outer Angle

12. Outer Margin

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