Subclass Pterygota:
Pterous (winged) insects, develop by metamorphosis
Division Exopterygota
(exo = outer; pteron = wing)
Orthopteroid orders
(orthos = straight; pteron = wing)
Order Dictyoptera
(dictyon = network; pteon = wing)
COMMON NAMES: cochroaches and mantids
QUICK DESCRIPTION: Cochroaches (Sub-order Blattodea) have flattened oval bodies with wings (but they seldom fly -- they have well developed legs and scurry about), very long antennae that lie back along the side of the body, large eyes and chewing mouthparts. Young cochroaches resemble adults.
Mantids (Sub-order Mantodea) have long bodies with thin legs, strong chewing mouthparts (they are very serious eaters) and a very flexible head that can look in all directions for prey. Mantids eat other insects (they are excellent for pest control in your garden), but the larger species can also eat frogs, lizards and even hummingbirds! Young mantids hatch from eggs, and quickly turn from soft squirmy creatures into small versions of the adults.
MINUTE DETAILS: Small to very large terrestrial insects of varied form; head filiform multisegmetned antennae, mandibulate mouthparts and well-developed compound eyes, ocelli present (Mantodea) or usually absent (Blattodea); pronotum large and disclike (Blattodea) or elongate (most Mantodea), legs with five-segmented tarsi, fore wings modified as tegmina; ovipositor reduced and hidden, male genitalia complex and concealed, cerci fairly short but multisegmented.
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