Table of Contents
What is the thorax on a dragonfly?
The thorax is the center for locomotion. It is a muscular powerhouse, controlling head, wing and leg movements. Dragonflies are unusual in their wing movements. Most insects’ wings are attached to plates of the chitonous exoskeleton that are, in turn, attached to muscles that move the plates that move the wings.
Where is the abdomen of a dragonfly?
| abdomen | The segmented tail-like section of the body. |
|---|---|
| femur | The first segment of the leg. |
| frons | The most prominent part of the face in anisopteran dragonflies. |
| labium | The lower lip of the dragonfly’s mouthparts; in the larva this is held under the head but can rapidly shoot forwards to catch prey. |
What is the wing position of all dragonflies when they perch?
Both dragonflies and damselflies are members of the insect order Odonata—which fans usually call “odes.” The difference between a dragon and a damsel is the wing position when perched: Dragonflies hold their wings straight out to the side, while damselflies partly spread their wings or fold them together behind them.
What body parts does a dragonfly have?
An adult dragonfly has three distinct segments, the head, thorax, and abdomen, as in all insects. It has a chitinous exoskeleton of hard plates held together with flexible membranes. The head is large with very short antennae. It is dominated by the two compound eyes, which cover most of its surface.
What is the thorax area of the body?
In humans and other hominids, the thorax is the chest region of the body between the neck and the abdomen, along with its internal organs and other contents. It is mostly protected and supported by the rib cage, spine, and shoulder girdle.
What type of wings do dragonflies have?
Dragonfly Characteristics A Dragonfly has two large compound eyes which take up most of its head. Dragonflies have long, delicate, membranous wings which are transparent and some have light yellow colouring near the tips.
Do dragonflies have wings?
Wings. Both dragonflies and damselflies have two sets of wings, but there are some distinct differences in their wings that can help differentiate between the two. Dragonflies have two sets of similar-sized wings, but the hind wings become more broad at the base, where they attach to the body.
What is abdomen in dragonfly?
The abdomen is long, thin and very flexible. It has 10 distinct segments. Males have appendages on the end of the abdomen, called claspers, to hold onto a female during mating. The reproductive organs are located in the abdomen.
Why do dragonflies put their butt in the water?
The dragonfly draws water in through the anus, clenches, then compresses its abdominal and thoracic muscles against the water-filled rectal chamber. This raises the internal body cavity pressure, and pushes the labium out –in a strike that takes 10 to 30 milliseconds.