Sponging Mouthpart Diptera
An example of a diptera with sponging mouthpart is the common housefly. The word sponging describes the function of the mouthparts which acts like a sponge to absorb food in liquid form.
The following are some of the adaptive features of a fly with sponging mouthparts:
· The mouthparts consists of the elbowed labium that has a fleshy look. At the end of the labium, there are large sponge like organs called labella.
· The hairs usually surround the mouthparts. This is to retain moisture on the fly thus keeping water loss from body at minimum level.
· The labella is a very complex structure that contain many grooves known as pseudotrachea. This structure is very important as it suck up liquids like a sponge.
· Saliva is also released from the labella to help dissolve and collect food particles. This will ease the food uptake by the pseudotrachea. The process of food uptake occurs through capillary actions.
· Once liquid food is drawn by the pseudotrachea, it will pass through the food channel into the oesophagus.
· Sponging mouthpart flies cannot bite or chew food with the exception of tsetse, horsefly and deerfly. Higher diptera such as houseflies have lost their mandibles and maxillae an organ which helps in the biting and chewing process.
An example of a diptera with sponging mouthpart is the common housefly. The word sponging describes the function of the mouthparts which acts like a sponge to absorb food in liquid form.
The following are some of the adaptive features of a fly with sponging mouthparts:
· The mouthparts consists of the elbowed labium that has a fleshy look. At the end of the labium, there are large sponge like organs called labella.
· The hairs usually surround the mouthparts. This is to retain moisture on the fly thus keeping water loss from body at minimum level.
· The labella is a very complex structure that contain many grooves known as pseudotrachea. This structure is very important as it suck up liquids like a sponge.
· Saliva is also released from the labella to help dissolve and collect food particles. This will ease the food uptake by the pseudotrachea. The process of food uptake occurs through capillary actions.
· Once liquid food is drawn by the pseudotrachea, it will pass through the food channel into the oesophagus.
· Sponging mouthpart flies cannot bite or chew food with the exception of tsetse, horsefly and deerfly. Higher diptera such as houseflies have lost their mandibles and maxillae an organ which helps in the biting and chewing process.
Why Diptera are Success Insects
The following are some of the features of diptera insects that has enable them to become successful organisms on earth.
· Due to its short life cycle, there is enough time for selection and evolution to take place.
· The high reproduction ability of them has paved a way for a large variation for selection and evolution to take place.
· The increased interaction with other organisms has led to a diverse specialisation in order to minimise competition thus increasing chance of survival.
· Mouthparts has become highly specialise to suit a certain environment.
The following are some of the features of diptera insects that has enable them to become successful organisms on earth.
· Due to its short life cycle, there is enough time for selection and evolution to take place.
· The high reproduction ability of them has paved a way for a large variation for selection and evolution to take place.
· The increased interaction with other organisms has led to a diverse specialisation in order to minimise competition thus increasing chance of survival.
· Mouthparts has become highly specialise to suit a certain environment.