Mecoptera (Noun)
Meaning
An order of carnivorous insects usually having long membranous wings and long beaklike heads with chewing mouths at the tip.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Mecoptera is a distinct order of insects that can be identified by their unique combination of features, including a long beak-like head with chewing mouthparts.
- The fossil record indicates that Mecoptera dates back to the Permian period, over 250 million years ago.
- Mecoptera specimens are generally found near water, as both the aquatic larvae and aerial adults require moisture to survive.
- Entomologists consider Mecoptera a relict order, meaning it consists of only a handful of families that have survived from an earlier geological period.
- In the field of evolutionary biology, Mecoptera has been linked to other groups such as Lepidoptera and Trichoptera, with some studies suggesting a common ancestor.