Why do beetles have elytra?

The presence of elytra is thought to have allowed beetles to expand into a variety of niches by protecting the beetle against an array of harsh environmental factors, while also protecting their hindwings from damage and thus their ability to fly.

What are beetle wings made of?

Beetle wings are composed of a forewing (also known as elytron) and a hind wing. The elytra are rigid. A beetle’s functional wings, which allow flying, are the hind wings. The elytra have an ingenious structure with superhydrophobic characteristics, a structural coloration and anti-adhesion characteristics.

What are Elytras based on?

elytra, /ˈɛlətrə/) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alternatively spelled as “hemielytra”), and in most species only the basal half is …

Do ladybugs have elytra?

The head houses the ladybug’s mouthparts, compound eyes, and antennae. The thorax has three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings. The first pair of wings is the hardened elytra that protect the flight wings underneath. When the ladybug takes flight, the elytra open, and the thin, veined wings unfold.

Are elytra modified wings?

Beetles usually have two pairs of wings, although some beetles lack them and other species have highly modified wings. The forewings are called elytra (Greek, elytron = cover, sheath).

Do all Diptera have halteres?

Insects of the large order Diptera (flies) have halteres which evolved from a pair of ancestral hindwings, while males of the much smaller order Strepsiptera (stylops) have halteres which evolved from a pair of ancestral forewings.

What is Hemelytra insect?

the forewing of plant bugs and related insects, having a thickened base and a membranous apex.

What is pronotum in cockroach?

The pronotum is a prominent plate-like structure that covers all or part of the thorax of some insects. The pronotum covers the dorsal surface of the thorax. The American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is a common pest species found in the home.

What is elytron made of?

The elytron is composed of ventral and dorsal layers of epidermal cells that secrete thin lower and thicker upper cuticular laminae [17], [18].