Dichotomous Key/Hexapoda

Hexapoda Animalia Arthropoda Hexapoda 1 Wings Present - 12 Not present - 2 2 Lifestyle Parasitic - 3 Not parasitic - 4 3 Legs Hind legs adapted for jumping - ../Siphonaptera/ No legs adapted for jumping - ../Phthiraptera/ 4 Cerci Present - 5 Not present - 6 5 Orientation of cerci Pointing towards tailing end of body - ../Archeognatha/ Outer two cerci point away from body - ../Thysanura/ 6 Mouthparts Mouthparts external and easily visible - 9 Mouthparts not easily visible - 7 7 Presence of eyes Simple eyes present - ../Collembola/ No eyes present - 8 8 Antennae Not present - ../Protura/ Present - ../Diplura/ 9 Mouthparts Adapted for sucking - ../Hemiptera/ Adapted for chewing - 10 10 Pincer-like cerci on abdomen Present - ../Dermaptera/ Not present - 11 11 Forelegs Forelegs raptatorial - ../Mantodea/ Forelegs not raptatorial - 13 12 Number of wings One pair - 17 Two pairs - 18 13 Narrow waist Present - ../Hymenoptera/ Not present - 14 14 Body shape long and thin - ../Phasmatodea/ Round and stout - 15 15 Body width Flattened - ../Blattodea/ Not flattened - 16 16 Social structure Solitary - ../Psocoptera/ Social - ../Isoptera/ 17 Wings Forewings reduced to knobs - ../Strepsiptera/ Hindwings reduced to knobs - ../Diptera/ 18 Forewings Membranous - 19 Not membranous - 31 19 Wing texture and color Covered in scales or hairs - 37 Transparent - 20 20 Tail-like appendages Present - 21 Not present - 23 21 Comparative wing size Roughly equal - 22 Forewings much larger than hindwings - ../Ephemeroptera/ 22 Comparative cerci size Both abdominal cerci approximately equal in size - ../Plecoptera/ Abdominal cerci unequal in size - ../Embioptera/ 23 Wing venation Extensive - 28 Minor - 24 24 Narrow waist Present - ../Hymenoptera/ Not present - 25 25 Wing texture Fringed with hairs - ../Thysanoptera/ Not fringed with hairs - 26 26 Mouthparts Chewing - 27 Sucking - ../Hemiptera/ 27 Position of wings at rest Held flat against body - ../Isoptera/ Held over body - ../Psocoptera/ 28 Position of wings at rest Held away from body - ../Odonata/ Held against body - 29 29 Beak-like head Present - ../Mecoptera/ Not present - 30 30 Main wing veins Forked near end - ../Neuroptera/ Not forked near end - ../Megaloptera/ 31 Mouthparts Sucking - ../Hemiptera/ Chewing - 32 32 Forewings hardened Forewings hard - 33 Forewings not hardened (may be leathery) - 34 33 Abdominal pincers Present - ../Dermaptera/ Not present - ../Coleoptera/ 34 Hind legs Adapted for jumping - ../Orthoptera/ Not adapted for jumping - #35 35 Forelegs Raptatorial - ../Mantodea/ Not raptatorial - #36 36 Body shape Broadly flattened - ../Blattodea/ Long and skinny - ../Phasmatodea/ 37 Wing covering Scales - ../Lepidoptera/ Hairs - ../Trichoptera/ __NOTOC__