NCHU Course Outline

Course Name	(中) 昆蟲形態學(2125)
	(Eng.) Insect Morphology
Offering Dept	Department of Entomology
Course Type	Required	Credits	3	Teacher	Dávid Rédei
Department	Department of Entomology/Undergraduate	Language	English	Semester	2025-FALL
Course Description	Although insect morphology became fairly neglected in the second half of the 20th century, currently it is experiencing a revival in Europe. It is hardly surprising: still a vast number of vexing problems of insect morphology are unresolved. Without a proper character definition and homology hypothesis any morphological character-based phylogenetic study is futile; and even molecular phylogenies make little sense without a proper interpretation of character evolution. Accordingly, morphology will remain central in phylogeny even in the post-genomic era. But the importance of morphology is far beyond the descriptive and analytic taxonomy and systematics: a proper understanding of insect morphology is the foundation of almost any study on insects from physiology to behaviour.
Prerequisites				self-directed learning in the course	Y

Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%)			Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives	Competency Indicators	Ratio(%)	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
This course introduces the students to the morphology of insects. On completion of the course the students will acquire a strong and contemporary foundation in insect comparative morphology and understand its basic principles; become familiar with the functional morphology of all important external parts and inner organs and organ-systems of the insect body, their homologies, terminology and function; acquire appropriate technical competence and laboratory skills (observation, dissection, documentation) in insect morphology; and improve their English vocabulary, listening and oral skills.	1. 2. 3. 4. 5.	60 10 10 10 10	Discussion Practicum Lecturing	Written Presentation Attendance Quiz
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content Week 1 General principles of arthropod morphology, the organization of the arthropod body. Homology and homology criteria. Most important examination methods. Week 2 A brief overview of embyonic development. Gastrulation and germ layers, primary and secondary body cavities and their fate during embryogenesis. Week 3 Segmentation and its regulation; primary and secondary body segments. Tagmata. Serial homologies of segments of different arthropod classes: facts and unresolved problems. The segmental appendages. General structure, major evolutionary modifications. Week 4 The body wall and its derivatives. Sclerites and associated cuticular structures (ridges, sutures, sulci). Articulations, apodemes and other muscle attachment surfaces. Structure of the cuticle; ecdysis. Cuticular derivatives on the outer body surface and cuticular invaginations. Week 5 The head. Serial homologies of the cephalic segments and their appendages; the arthropod head problem; different interpretations, unresolved problems, recent developments. Week 6 Gross morphology of the exo- and endoskeleton of the insect head, problems of homologization. Week 7 Cephalic appendages. The antennae. The mouthparts and their derivation from paired segmental limbs. Most important modifications of the mouthparts in different orders. Modes of feeding. Week 8 Mid-semester exam. Week 9 The thorax. Origin of the pleural region. Primary and secondary sternum. The thoracic legs. Structure, functional aspects. Specialized modifications. The pretarsus and its adhesive structures. Week 10 The wings. Origin: classical theories (tergal, appendicular) in the light of modern developmental data; unresolved problems. General structure. Wing articulation; the axillary region. Wing folding; functional and evolutionary aspects. Subdivisions of the alar area; some elementary principles of the wing venation. Wing muscles; flight. Week 11 The abdomen. Gross morphology: sclerotizations of the pregenital abdomen; organs supposedly derived from abdominal appendages, unresolved problems about their origin and homologization. Week 12 The internal genitalia. Functional morphology of the gonads. The ovary, different types of ovarioles and oogenesis. The testes, spermatogenesis. The mesodermal genital tracts and associated structures. Week 13 The ectodermal genitalia of the male and the female. Problems of homologization and evolutionary origin: appendicular or secondary origin? Functional considerations. Important or interesting specializations in particular insect groups in respect of copulation and oviposition. Week 14 An introduction to insect splanchnology. Compartmentalization of the insect body cavity. The haemolymph. The organs of circulation. The respiratory system and its adaptation for various habitats. The alimentary tract. Embryonic development, ectodermal and endodermal sections, functional morphology of the main portions, specialized modifications assisting digestion and absorption. The Malpighi-tubules and their function. Week 15 The nervous system and the sensory organs. Gross morphology, neuromeres of the head, ganglia. A brief introduction to the histological structure of the insect brain. The sensory organs. Week 16 Final exam. self-directed learning    03.Preparing presentations or reports related to industry and academia.
Evaluation
Short tests in the beginning of each lab class: 20% Lab notebook: 10% Mid-semester test results: 30% Final test : 40%
Textbook & other References
Main textbooks below; additional handouts will be provided. Beutel, R.G., Friedrich, F., Ge, S.Q. & Yang, X.K. 2014. Insect morphology and phylogeny. A textbook for students of entomology. De Gruyter, Berlin and Boston, xv+516 pp. Snodgrass, R.E. 1935. Principles of insect morphology. McGraw-Hill, New York, ix+667 pp. Snodgrass, R.E. [without year]. 昆蟲形态原理（上、下）。（吳蘭林譯。）國立中興大學昆蟲系，台中，pp. i–iv, 1–319, 321–645. [A Chinese edition of Snodgrass 1935]
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Update Date, year/month/day：2025/08/06 15:31:16	Printed Date, year/month/day：2025 / 8 / 19
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