Lepidoptera, or butterflies, moths, moths - a detachment of insects with complete transformation, most salient feature representatives of which is the presence of a dense cover of chitinous scales (flattened hairs) on the fore and hind wings (in this case, the scales are located both on the veins and on the wing plate between them). Most species are characterized by specialized sucking mouthparts with a proboscis formed by elongated lobes of the lower jaw. The shape and span of the wings are very diverse: from 2 mm to 28 cm.

Development with complete transformation: there are egg, larva (called caterpillar), pupa and adult stages. The larva is worm-like, with underdeveloped ventral legs, powerfully sclerotized integuments of the head, gnawing mouthparts and paired silk-secreting glands, secretions from which, in contact with air, form a silk thread.

Lepidoptera, whose fossils have been known since the Jurassic, are currently one of the most species-rich orders of insects - there are more than 158,000 species in the order. Representatives of the detachment are distributed on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.

The branch of entomology that studies Lepidoptera is called lepidopterology.

Total population

The Lepidoptera order in terms of species diversity undoubtedly stands out among taxa of a similar rank. Lepidoptera are one of the largest groups of insects, including, as of August 2013, 158,570 species, including 147 fossil taxa. It is assumed that up to 100,000 species are still unknown to science and, thus, the total number of Lepidoptera species existing on the planet can be estimated at approximately 200,000 - 225,000 species. On the territory of Russia there are 2166 genera and 8879 species.

Lepidoptera are very diverse, and most of their species are poorly understood. Some of the described species are known from finds from a single locality or even from a single specimen. True Estimated Total existing species will never be known, because many species became extinct before they were discovered. The taxonomy of butterflies presented in various works reflects the different views of their authors and is, without a doubt, debatable.

There are disputes about the systematic position or the need to maintain the status of some subspecies or species. DNA studies indicate that some of the currently known species must be separated. A well-known example is the case where seemingly identical Colias alfacariensis and Colias hyale, previously considered one species, were divided into two after significant differences in the structure of their caterpillars and pupae were discovered.

Butterfly - description. The structure and appearance of butterflies.

In the structure of a butterfly, two main sections are distinguished - a body protected by a hard chitinous shell and wings.

A butterfly is an insect whose body consists of:

• Head, inactively connected to the chest. The head of a butterfly has a rounded shape with a slightly flattened occiput. Round or oval convex eyes of a butterfly in the form of hemispheres, occupying most of the lateral surface of the head, have a complex facet structure. Butterflies have color vision, and moving objects perceive better than stationary ones. Many species have additional simple parietal eyes behind the antennae. The structure of the oral apparatus depends on the species and can be of a sucking or gnawing type.
• The breast of a butterfly with a three-segment structure. The front part is much smaller than the middle and back, where there are three pairs of legs, which have a structure characteristic of insects. On the shins of the front legs of the butterfly there are spurs designed to maintain the hygiene of the antennae.
• Butterfly abdomen, having the shape of an elongated cylinder, consisting of ten ring-shaped segments with spiracles located on them.
• Butterfly antennae located on the border of the parietal and frontal parts of the head. They help butterflies to navigate in the environment, perceiving air vibrations and various smells. The length and structure of the antennae depend on the species.
• Two pairs of butterfly wings covered with flat scales of various shapes, have a membranous structure and are pierced by transverse and longitudinal veins. The size of the hind wings can be the same as the front wings or much smaller than them. The pattern of butterfly wings varies from species to species and captivates with its beauty. When macro photography, the scales on the wings of butterflies are very clearly visible - they can have completely different shapes and colors.

The appearance and color of the butterfly's wings serve not only for intraspecific sexual recognition, but also act as a protective camouflage that allows you to blend in with the environment. Therefore, colors can be both monochrome and variegated with intricate pattern. The size of a butterfly, or better to say the wingspan of a butterfly, can range from 2 mm to 31 cm.

Internal structure

Nervous system

Butterflies have a perfect nervous system and sensory organs, thanks to which they perfectly orient themselves in the environment and quickly respond to danger signals. Nervous system, like all arthropods, consists of a peripharyngeal ring and an abdominal nerve cord. In the head, as a result of the fusion of clusters of nerve cells, the brain is formed. This system controls all movements of the butterfly, except for such involuntary functions as blood circulation, digestion, respiration. Researchers believe that these functions are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system.

Circulatory system

The circulatory system, like all arthropods, is open. The blood directly washes the internal organs and tissues, being in the body cavity, transferring nutrients to them and carrying harmful waste products to the excretory organs. It does not participate in the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide, that is, in respiration. Its movement is provided by the work of the heart - a longitudinal muscular tube located in the dorsal part above the intestines. The heart, pulsating rhythmically, drives blood to the head end of the body. The backflow of blood is prevented by the valves of the heart. When the heart expands, blood enters it from the back of the body through its side openings, which are equipped with valves that prevent backflow of blood. In the body cavity, unlike the heart, blood flows from front end to the back, and then, getting into the heart as a result of its pulsation, again goes to the head.

Respiratory system and excretory system

The respiratory system is a dense network of branched internal tubes - trachea, through which air, entering through the external spiracles, is delivered directly to all internal organs and tissues.

The excretory system is a bundle of thin tubes, the so-called Malpighian vessels, located in the body cavity. They are closed at the tops, and open into the intestines at the bases. The metabolic products are filtered out by the entire surface of the Malpighian vessels, and then inside the vessels they turn into crystals. Then they enter the intestinal cavity and, together with undigested food residues, are excreted from the body. Some harmful substances, especially poisons, accumulate and isolate in the fat body.

reproductive system

The reproductive system of females consists of two ovaries, in which the formation of eggs occurs. The ovaries, passing into tubular oviducts, merge with their bases into a single unpaired oviduct, through which mature eggs are brought out. In the female reproductive system there is a seminal receptacle - a reservoir where male spermatozoa enter. Mature eggs can be fertilized by these spermatozoa. The reproductive organs of the male are two testes that pass into the vas deferens, which are combined into an unpaired ejaculatory canal, which serves to remove sperm.

Butterfly lifestyle

Unlike other insects, such as beetles, butterflies can be called true aerial creatures. Very rarely they have no wings or are in their infancy; this only happens in females. Most butterflies fly a lot and quickly - during the day, at dusk or at night; some butterflies, especially bats, fly only at certain hours. Many, such as hawks (Sphingidae), eat in flight. Some butterflies are found in caves near the entrance; only one butterfly, Acentropus niveas Olivier, is adapted to life in the water. The predominant number of butterflies live in the warm season, with early spring until autumn; egg laying also coincides with this time.

Butterfly food is liquid. Most butterflies feed on honey or nectar secreted by flowers. The dead head (Acherontia atropos L.) needs honey so much that it steals it from bee hives. Attract butterflies and other plant secretions. So, for example, they very often visit herbs that secrete honey, and butterflies can be constantly found near open cuts on a tree, as well as other insects, since these cuts secrete juice, which they feed on. Butterflies also readily extract juice from fruits, especially those previously gnawed by wasps: this makes it easier for them to access the juice.

In some butterflies, the proboscis is adapted for perforating leaves and fruits. A collector who inspects honey-smeared fishing grounds at night knows how to use these tastes of butterflies: he adds a few drops of fruit ether to the bait, and in addition uses beer; especially like alcohol scoops.

Like all other insects with complete metamorphosis, a butterfly that emerges from a chrysalis retains its size for the rest of its life. If specimens of larger and smaller sizes are found in the same species, then the reason for this is the different nutrition of the caterpillar; depending on this, during pupation it has a larger or smaller value, in accordance with which the dimensions of the body of the butterfly will be different, and the differences in the same species can be very significant. Often in some species there are dwarf forms, otherwise completely normal. Differences in magnitude may be related to a particular area; for example, the polyflora (Vanessa polychloros L.) is smaller in Ireland than in Germany.

Classification and types of butterflies

The numerous detachment of Lepidoptera includes more than 158 thousand representatives. There are several classification systems for butterflies, quite complex and confusing, with changes constantly taking place in them.

The most successful is the scheme that divides this detachment into four suborders:

1. Primary tooth moths. These are small butterflies with a wingspan ranging from 4 to 15 mm, with gnawing mouthparts and antennae that reach up to 75% of the size of the forewings in length. The family consists of 160 species of butterflies.

Typical representatives are:

• golden small-winged;
• marigold smallwing.

1. Proboscis butterflies. The wingspan of these insects, covered with dark small scales with cream or black spots, does not exceed 25 mm. Until 1967, they were classified as primary toothed moths, with which this family has much in common.

The most famous butterflies from this suborder:

• flour moth - Asopia farinalis L.
• fir cone moth - Dioryctrica abieteila.

1. Heterobathmias, represented by one family, Heterobathmiidae.

1. Proboscis butterflies, which make up the most numerous suborder, consisting of several dozen families, which include more than 150 thousand species of butterflies. The appearance and size of the representatives of this suborder is very diverse.

Below are several families demonstrating the diversity of proboscis butterflies:

• Sailboat family, represented by medium and large butterflies with a wingspan of 50 to 280 mm. The pattern on the wings of butterflies consists of black, red or blue spots of various shapes, clearly visible on a white or yellow background. The most famous of them are the swallowtail butterfly, the sailboat "Glory of Bhutan", the bird-wing of Queen Alexandra and others.
• Nymphalidae family, feature which is the absence of thickened veins on wide angular wings with variegated coloration and various patterns. Butterfly wingspan varies from 50 to 130 mm. Representatives of this family are: the admiral butterfly, the daytime peacock eye butterfly, the nettle butterfly, the mourning butterfly, etc.
• Family Moths, represented by night butterflies with narrow wings, the span of which does not exceed 13 cm and is distinguished by a characteristic pattern. The abdomen of these insects is thickened and spindle-shaped. The most famous butterflies of this family are the "dead head" hawk moth, the oleander hawk moth, and the poplar hawk moth.
• Owl family, which includes more than 35,000 species of night butterflies. The span of gray with a metallic shade of fluffy wings averages 35 mm. However, in South America there is a species of butterflies tizania agrippina with a wingspan of 31 cm or atlas peacock-eye, the size of which resembles a medium-sized bird.

Top 10 most beautiful butterflies in the world

Zizula hylax. The most beautiful butterfly among the small representatives of the class is Zizula hylax - the length of the wings in adults is only six millimeters.

Parnasius(Parnassius bannyngtoni). If you ever want to see all the beautiful butterflies on this list, then Parnassius bannyngtoni will give you problems. The fact is that this butterfly lives in the Himalayas at an altitude of six thousand meters.

Urania(Chrysiridia rhipheus). Beautiful butterflies are usually beautiful in themselves, well, and Urania was also recognized as such by the international scientific congress. Despite the fact that the main color in the color of the insect is black, the wings are decorated with bright vertical stripes that shimmer from the sun's rays.

Greta morgane. A little beauty with transparent wings - the Americans call this butterfly Glasswing, which literally means "glass wing". The species lives mainly in South America, feeds on the pollen of plants and flowers, and also rightfully takes first place in the top of the most unusual butterflies.

bird wing(Ornithoptera alexandrae). Unfortunately, the most beautiful butterflies in the world are also the rarest. The Birdwing or Queen Alexandra's Sailboat is no exception - a giant insect with a wingspan of 32 centimeters.

Admiral(Vanessa atalanta). Butterflies that make great distances for procreation - this is just about the species Vanessa atalanta. This most beautiful butterfly in its appearance is somewhat reminiscent of Urania - the color is dominated by black and dark cherry colors, and along the wings there are vertical stripes of warm orange and milky white colors.

Dead Head(Acherontia atropos). How did an insect with such an unsightly name appear on the list of the most beautiful butterflies in the world? If you saw Acherontia atropos once, you wouldn't ask, because this night moth is really very beautiful. The name of the species comes from the unusual color of the body, in the upper part of which the contours of the human skull are clearly visible.

Painted lady(Pyrameis cardui). The simple beauty of Burdock ensured her a "lifelong" belonging to the most beautiful butterflies. In addition, to get acquainted with this species, you don’t have to go to distant lands - the moth lives in all parts of the world.

peacock eye(Saturnia pyri). The peacock attracts attention with its luxurious tail, and Saturnia pyri with its wings. In addition to the color, the Peacock eye is also known for its sense of smell - during the rut, the male is able to "smell" the pheromones of the female at a distance of 10 or more kilometers.

Atlas or Prince of Darkness(Attacus atlas). The species lives in the humid climate of the evergreen forests of Asia, China, Thailand, India, and the islands of Borneo and Java are also considered the "native" range of Attacus atlas. This huge representative of the Saturnian family got its name from the ancient Greek titan Atlas - the butterfly looks really titanic - it is also on the list of the largest living moths.

1. Butterflies belong to one of the largest groups of insects - Lepidoptera. In addition to these creatures, this group also includes moths and moths. At the moment, Lepidoptera have about 157,000 species of insects.
2. These unique creatures are the second largest pollinators after bees.
3. The science that studies butterflies is called lepidopterology.
4. Attacus aitas is considered the largest night butterfly. Its wingspan is about 30 cm and it is often confused with a bird.
5. The most hardy butterfly in the world is called "Monarch". She can cover a distance of a thousand kilometers without stopping.
6. The maximum speed this little creature can reach is 12 miles per hour, but there are species that reach the mark of 50 km/h (31 mph).
7. by the most amazing fact about these creatures is that butterflies need the warmth of the sun in order to fly.
8. The 4 wings of butterflies are covered with scales, which are sacs with transparent ribbed walls. After a careless touch, they fall off, and the wings look faded. In fact, butterfly wings are transparent. The scales that cover the wing simply reflect sunlight and thus give themselves color. In the rarest cases, scales in a butterfly are present in very small quantities or are completely absent.
9. The life cycle of these creatures consists of four phases: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult (butterfly). Eggs can have various shapes: from spherical and round to cylindrical and angular. It depends on the type of butterfly.
10. An interesting fact: a butterfly lays its offspring in one place for many years in a row.
11. Butterflies never sleep.
12. In some Asian and South American countries, butterflies are considered a delicacy!
13. The most complex organ of these amazing creatures is the eyes. They are made up of 6,000 tiny pieces called lenses.
14. The only continent where Lepidoptera do not live is Antarctica.
15. Butterflies are ancient creatures. Their images are present on Egyptian frescoes, which are more than 3.5 thousand years old.
16. Taste buds in butterflies are located on the paws, i.e. standing on the plant, they can taste it.
17. Butterflies are one of the most common objects for collecting among the most famous people in the world, such as: Nabokov, Rothschild, Bulgakov, Mavrodi.
18. The period during which the butterfly lays eggs lasts only a few days, but one individual can lay more than a thousand eggs.
19. Basically, all caterpillars live on land, but there is also a species of water caterpillars called broad-winged moths.
20. Basically, most butterflies have short life- just a few days. However, there are specimens with a rather long life cycle: the Brixton butterfly is a long-liver, its cycle lasts up to 10 months.
21. In the world there is more than one species of these insects, which can rightfully be considered the rarest. One of them is Queen Alexandra's sailboat, the largest butterfly on the planet. It can only be found on the territory papua new guinea and thanks to collectors, this species is on the verge of extinction.
22. Many butterflies have earned a place in the Red Book only because of their incredibly beautiful color, and some of these creatures are pests for crops.
23. There are several species of these beautiful creatures that do not eat at all during the entire imago cycle (the last stage of life). Such individuals live due to the energy accumulated during the period when the butterfly was still a caterpillar.
24. In Russian, the word "butterfly" is derived from the word "woman", as our ancestors believed that all witches become butterflies after death.
25. The Blue Dwarf is considered to be the smallest butterfly in the world, with a wingspan of only 1.4 cm.
26. In the tropical forests of the New and Old Worlds, there is a species of butterfly whose males feed on the tears of animals.
27. Butterflies are nearsighted!
28. These creatures can even distinguish colors, however, not all of them. Each species sees some of its shades. So, for example, cabbage sees red, but satire does not distinguish it at all.
29. Peru and one Indian state, Sikkim, are considered the richest in the diversity of Lepidoptera species.
30. It turns out that the secret of the butterfly is hidden precisely in its scales on the wings. They maintain the temperature balance, and also increase the airworthiness.
31. The proboscis of a butterfly is a modified lower jaw that has been transformed into a sucking organ. But the butterfly caterpillar has rather strong jaws, thanks to which it can chew solid food.
32. The most common butterfly in Russia and Siberia is the Peacock eye. Due to its original pattern, it is difficult to confuse it with any other: the upper part of the wing has a cherry-brown color and a spot in the form of an eye, which is characteristic of this species, while the bottom is completely black-brown.
33. Butterflies are twilight creatures. Only some members of this group of insects are diurnal. Butterflies feed on nectar and other plant secretions containing sugar.

These creatures of incredible beauty at all times amaze people with their incredible variety of colors, bizarre shapes and intricate patterns. Butterflies are born in order to die, giving life to a new generation before that.

Video

Sources

http://mybutterfly.ru/item/865

People who do not know biology well usually do not understand the structure of invertebrates. Do they have blood and do they have a brain? Do insects breathe? The vast majority of living organisms require oxygen to live. It oxidizes the incoming substances - it divides them into structures that are simpler in structure. Plants also use oxygen in the process of respiration. Only anaerobic microorganisms and some multicellular animals do not need this element. However, they also breathe, they only use other organic or inorganic substances for oxidation.

World of small creatures

Insects are small organisms, the size of which does not exceed a few centimeters. Their structure does not allow to increase the volume and weight in modern conditions. The same cannot be said about the ancient arthropods that lived at the time of the dinosaurs and even earlier. In those days, the atmosphere was completely different: a different density of air, composition of gases. And the planet Earth itself weighed less. Dragonflies in the distant past reached sizes of more than half a meter.

How do insects breathe? And what prevented them from evolving to the size, for example, of a cat in modern conditions? Scientists believe that this is a kind of respiratory system.

Some of the taxonomy

Insects belong to the tracheal-breathing subtype (Tracheata). The type of arthropods also includes the subtypes of the gill-breathers (crustaceans) and chelicerae (spiders, scorpions, mites, etc.).

How do insects breathe?

The very name of the subtype speaks of the way of breathing. However, chelicerates breathe in a similar way. Insects acquired a complex tracheal system during evolution. Tracheas are internal tubes that carry air to the cells of the body. The tracheal system is not simple, because the trachea branches into a huge number of thin tubes. Each of them approaches a small group of cells. The network of tracheae in insects is similar to the system of blood vessels and capillaries in vertebrates.

Insect spiracles

Air enters the trachea through spiracles - special openings on the body of insects. Spiracles - stigmas - are located in pairs, usually on the sides of the body. Regulation of air intake is provided by special locking devices.

Three symmetrical large branches of the trachea usually depart from each spiracle:

1. Dorsal. Provides oxygen to the dorsal vessel with hemolymph and dorsal muscles.
2. Visceral. Serves the digestive system and reproductive organs.
3. Ventral. Serves the abdominal muscles and nerve chain.

Insect tracheoles

The endings of the trachea branch into very thin capillary tubes - tracheoles. Their diameter is less than 1 micrometer. Tracheoles branch out in the intercellular space, braiding the cells. They are a functional part of the tracheal system, ensuring the diffusion of oxygen into the cells of the body.

Additional education

How do most insects breathe? The respiratory organs are the trachea. However, some arthropods also have air sacs. This structure resembles the lungs or rather the air sacs of birds to increase the volume of air in the body. Swollen areas are found in fast-flying insects (bees, flies). They lie along the tracheal trunks. As a result of the contraction of the muscles of the body during flight, the air sacs are compressed and straightened, increasing the intake and output of air.

What organ do insects that live in water breathe with?

For example, a silver spider that lives in central Russia spends most of its life under water. He carries around a supply of air bubbles. So he did not have to change something in the respiratory system. Spiders have a similar tracheal system, like insects.

The swimming beetle is a common inhabitant of ponds in central Russia. He also breathes through tracheae. It periodically rises to the surface of the water, exposes the tip of the abdomen. Air enters under the elytra and is stored there. The water beetle carries a supply of oxygen with it.

The rest of the water beetles do the same. The whirlwind hunts on the surface of the pond, however, diving in danger, it also takes air with it. It looks like a shiny shell at the end of the abdomen.

Many water bugs also take in air in the form of a bubble from the surface. Like, for example, smoothness. It carries with it an air bubble attached to the end of its abdomen. Such a device helps him to swim even better.

Some water bugs (water scorpion, ranatra) have a special tube at the end of the abdomen. It consists of two grooved halves. The bug moves its abdomen - makes respiratory movements. Through the tube, air enters the spiracles.

Respiratory organs of larvae

Adult insects breathe through tracheae. Larvae have more diverse respiratory organs. Which insect larvae breathe through tracheae? Land representatives have a tracheal system. For example, butterfly caterpillars have 9 pairs of stigmas on the sides of the body. The first pair is on the chest, the rest are on the segments of the abdomen. Sometimes the second pair of spiracles is closed.

Most aquatic insects and their larvae also have a tracheal system. However, a huge number of representatives have formations similar to gills. These are outgrowths located on the places of spiracles. Oxygen enters the body through the thin covers of the tracheal outgrowths. This is how the larvae of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies breathe. Dragonfly larvae also have tracheal gills, but they are located in the intestine, that is, inside the body.

The bloodworm has filiform gills, but absorbs oxygen in large quantities throughout the entire surface of the body. In the body of a bloodworm there is always a supply of oxygen. For this reason, it can live in polluted water bodies.

Larvae of the cirrus mosquito (family thick-bodied mosquitoes) breathe oxygen dissolved in water, absorbing it with the entire surface of the body.

Respiratory organs of pupae

How do pupal stage insects breathe? It is believed that the third stage of insect development is motionless. However, even butterfly pupae can move their abdomens. A chrysalis ladybug nods his head, probably scaring off enemies. Insects of this stage breathe through tracheae.

Among the pupae of aquatic insects there are very mobile individuals. These are, for example, blood-sucking mosquitoes. Their pupae regularly rise to the surface of the water to suck in air through special tubes at the end of the abdomen.

The pupa of the pinnate mosquito is similar to the pupa of the common mosquito. But it does not rise to the surface of the water before the release of an adult. The respiratory organ is the integument of the body.

How do insects that do not have tracheae breathe? The respiratory organs of some primary wingless insects and larvae living in tissues are the skin. They are thin enough for the passage of gases. Carbon dioxide is also released through the cuticle, which is partially observed in insects that have tracheae.

Insects often move their abdomen - they make respiratory movements. The respiratory rate increases during flight. The respiratory muscles contract and relax, for example, in a bee at rest about 40 times per minute. During the flight several times more often.

In more primitive insects, the spiracles do not close. However, they are protected by hairs from debris. In more complex arthropods, stigmas are able to open and close to regulate air intake. In addition, part of the spiracles can serve for inhalation, and the other part for exhalation of air.

Interestingly, insect stigmas have different shapes and colors. They can be round, oval, triangular. Their color sometimes differs from that of the surrounding cuticle.

Thus, nature created the tracheal system before the appearance of the lungs. This system is well organized. The spiracle system provides a constant flow of air. Oxygen is carried to all cells of the body.

Butterflies are arthropods - the most highly developed animals among invertebrates. They got their name for the presence of jointed tubular limbs. Another characteristic feature is the outer skeleton, formed by plates of a durable polysaccharide - quinine. In arthropods, due to the development of a strong outer shell and articulated limbs, a complex system muscles attached from the inside to the integument. All movements of their body parts and internal organs are connected with muscles.

1- abdomen
2- chest
3- head with antennae
4- proboscis
5, 8, 9 - front, middle and hind legs
6, 7 - the first and second pair of wings

Butterfly body consists of three sections: head, thorax and abdomen. With a webbed short and soft neck, the head is fastened to the chest, which consists of three segments that are motionlessly connected to each other. Connection points are not visible. Each of the segments bears a pair of jointed legs. Butterflies have three pairs of legs on their chests. The forelegs of male nymphalids, satyr pigeons are underdeveloped; in females, they are more developed, but they are also not used when walking and are always pressed to the chest. In sailfish and fatheads, all legs are normally developed, and the lower legs of their front legs are equipped with lobe-like formations, which are believed to be used to clean the eyes and antennae. In butterflies, the legs serve mainly for fixing in a certain place and only then - for movement. Some butterflies have taste buds on their legs: before such a butterfly touches the sweet solution with its limb, it will not unfold its proboscis and will not start eating.

On the head are the mouth apparatus, antennae and eyes. The oral apparatus of the sucking type is a non-segmented, at rest spirally curled, long tubular proboscis. The lower jaws and lower lip take part in its formation. Butterflies have no upper jaws. While eating, the butterfly spreads its long proboscis, plunging it deep into the flower, and sucks out the nectar. As the main source of food, adult Lepidoptera use nectar, therefore they are among the main pollinators of flowering plants. All insects, including butterflies, have a special organ called the Jones organ, designed to analyze shaking and sound vibrations. With the help of this organ, insects not only assess the state of the physical environment, but also communicate with each other.

Internal structure

Butterflies are perfect nervous system and sense organs, thanks to which they perfectly orient themselves in the environment, quickly respond to danger signals. The nervous system, like that of all arthropods, consists of the peripharyngeal ring and the ventral nerve chain. In the head, as a result of the fusion of clusters of nerve cells, the brain is formed. This system controls all movements of the butterfly, except for such involuntary functions as blood circulation, digestion, respiration. Researchers believe that these functions are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system.

1- excretory organs
2- middle intestine
3- goiter
4- heart
5- anterior intestine
6- large intestine
7- sexual organs
8- nerve node
9- brain

Circulatory system, as in all arthropods, open. The blood directly washes the internal organs and tissues, being in the body cavity, transferring nutrients to them and carrying harmful waste products to the excretory organs. It does not participate in the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide, that is, in respiration. Its movement is provided by the work of the heart - a longitudinal muscular tube located in the dorsal part above the intestines. The heart, pulsating rhythmically, drives blood to the head end of the body. The backflow of blood is prevented by the valves of the heart. When the heart expands, blood enters it from the back of the body through its side openings, which are equipped with valves that prevent backflow of blood. In the body cavity, unlike the heart, blood flows from the anterior end to the posterior end, and then, getting into the heart as a result of its pulsation, it again goes to the head.

Respiratory system It is a dense network of branched internal tubes - tracheas, through which air, entering through the external spiracles, is delivered directly to all internal organs and tissues.

excretory system- this is a bundle of thin tubes, the so-called malpighian vessels, located in the body cavity. They are closed at the tops, and open into the intestines at the bases. The metabolic products are filtered out by the entire surface of the Malpighian vessels, and then inside the vessels they turn into crystals. Then they enter the intestinal cavity and, together with undigested food residues, are excreted from the body. Some harmful substances, especially poisons, accumulate and isolate in the fat body.

reproductive system females consist of two ovaries in which the formation of eggs occurs. The ovaries, passing into tubular oviducts, merge with their bases into a single unpaired oviduct, through which mature eggs are brought out. In the female reproductive system there is a seminal receptacle - a reservoir where male spermatozoa enter. Mature eggs can be fertilized by these spermatozoa. The reproductive organs of the male are two testes that pass into the vas deferens, which are combined into an unpaired ejaculatory canal, which serves to remove sperm.

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Rays, like sharks, are among the most ancient fish. They are unique in that they do not use their tail when swimming, as other fish do. Stingrays move only due to the movements of the fins, while resembling butterflies.

Most stingrays live in seawater, but there are also a few freshwater species.

Stingrays are characterized by a very “flattened” body and large pectoral fins fused with the head. The mouth, nostrils and five pairs of gills are on a flat and usually light underside.

The upper side of the stingrays is adapted in color to a particular living space and can vary from light sand to black.

Stingrays can be found in different corners our land. They are found even off the coast of Antarctica and in the Arctic Ocean.

The size of rays varies from a few centimeters to several meters, and the wingspan of some rays can be more than 2 meters.

One of the most famous species of rays is Manta, whose wingspan can reach 2.5 meters, and the length - up to 5 meters! Rays from the stingray family are also very large and reach 2.1 meters in width and up to 5.5 meters in length. A relatively large stingray - Sea Cat - is found in the Azov and Black Seas.

Stingrays are very ancient fish. They are relatives of sharks, moreover, the closest relatives, although there are no external similarities. According to the internal composition, rays, like sharks, do not consist of bones, but of cartilage.

In ancient times, stingrays were similar to sharks, not only in their internal structure, but also external features. But time has changed them beyond recognition.

Most of the stingrays lead a benthic lifestyle and feed on mollusks and crustaceans.

Stingrays have a unique respiratory system. If you take other fish, they breathe with gills. However, if the stingray tried to do the same, then along with the air it would also draw in the sand lying on the bottom. Therefore, stingrays breathe differently. Air enters the body of the stingray through special sprinklers that are on the back. His eyes are also located there (visible in the photo).

A detachment of electric stingrays is endowed with a special “weapon”, which, with the help of a special organ made of transformed muscles, can paralyze prey with electrical discharges from 60 to 230 volts and over 30 amperes.

By the way, all stingrays can generate electricity, but not to the same extent as an electric stingray.

The man got to the slopes. Their skin is very durable and has an unusual texture, therefore it is used in the leather industry for the manufacture of wallets, belts, bags, briefcases, etc. Stingray wings are a delicacy in Portuguese cuisine.

A few more photos from a photo shoot with stingrays in the Cayman Islands.

Stingray eyes and breathing holes on the back.

When such an unusual fish “flies” next to you, it makes an indelible impression. Stingrays are real butterflies of the seas and oceans.

Fluttering butterflies are the personification of a carefree life. In fact, their destiny is a continuous struggle for survival. To do this, butterflies have special adaptations, many of which are not found in other insects.

tendrils help balance in flight and play the role of a nose - they catch the smells of other butterflies or food brought by air currents. Males that search for females by pheromones have larger antennae.

compound eyes provide a wide field of view. But butterflies do not differ in visual acuity - their eyes consist of 17,000 segments, giving a mosaic image. At the points of contact between adjacent segments, there are long bristles that protect the eyes from pollen.

There is a special organ on the head, called jones. It is designed to analyze shaking and sound vibrations. With its help, butterflies not only assess the state environment but also communicate.

Mouth organs, like other insects, are not found in butterflies: upper lip and the jaws and lower lip are either absent altogether, or they are barely distinguishable. But the lower jaws, on the contrary, are strongly elongated and form a proboscis. With its help, the butterfly sucks out nectar or other liquid food. Due to the injection of blood fluid, the elastic proboscis unwinds, and when this fluid flows out, it twists into a spiral. Not all species have a developed proboscis, many butterflies do not eat anything, but live off the reserves accumulated by the caterpillar.

The butterfly breathes through the thinnest tubes - the trachea pervading her entire body. Air enters them through special openings on the chest and abdomen.

Wings are actually transparent. The smallest scales paint them in different colors. Their number can reach several hundred thousand. The scales are different: pigmented with a coloring matter; optical reflect and refract the incident light, because of this, the wings have a metallic sheen; androconial exude an aroma that attracts males (sometimes the smell is so strong that a person can also feel it).

On paws most species have taste sensors that are 2000 times more sensitive than receptors on the human tongue. Like the wings, the legs have scented scales that attract mating partners.

Abdomen usually consists of 8-9 segments, the last is the genital opening. Males also have special appendages on the abdomen - tweezers. With their help, the male holds the female in the desired position. Some species of butterflies only need a couple of minutes to mate, while others take up to 36 hours.

Instead of red blood, butterflies have transparent or yellow hemolymph. It contains neither red blood cells nor hemoglobin.