1. University of Sulaimania
School of Science
Department of Biology
2nd Class Year
Practical Entomology
2011-2012
13th Lab.
Internal Morphology of Insects
Lecturer: Farhad A. Khudhur

2. Objectives
• Locate and identify structures associated
with the internal morphology of insect.
• Explain the functions of specific structures
associated with the internal morphology of
insect.

3. Insect Dissections
• Often the best approach to understanding
internal morphology is by way of a
dissection. For this reason, the entire
lecture should be treated as a laboratory
activity.

4. Insect dissection precedure
• Cut the legs and wings of your specimen.
• Place specimen in dissecting tray.
• Insert the tip of your scissors between two abdominal
segments close to the ‘tail end’ on the lateral side of the
insect.
• CAREFULLY cut the exoskeleton (making certain not to
puncture internal organs) from the point of insertion
anteriorly toward the head. Then proceed to cut the
remaining 3-4 posterior segments.
• Use forceps to pull skeleton apart, exposing internal
systems.
• With dissecting pins, tack the flaps to the tray, thus
keeping the body cavity open.
• Flood tray with saline to facilitate observation of organs.

11. References
• Gillot, Cedric. (2005). Entomology. 3rd ed. Springer,
Dordrecht., The Netherlands. 831 pp.
• Resh, Vincent H. & Cardé, Ring T. (2003). Encyclopedia of
Insects. USA. Academic Press, Elsevier Science, 1266 pp.
• Gullan, P.J. and Cranston, P.S. (). The insects: An Outline of
Entomology. 3rd ed. U.K. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 505 pp.