Mandible (insect Mouthpart) - Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Other Simple Insects

Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Other Simple Insects

The mouthparts of orthopteran insects are often used as a basic example of mandibulate (chewing) mouthparts, and the mandibles themselves are likewise generalized in structure. They are large and hardened, shaped like pinchers, with cutting surfaces on the distal portion and chewing or grinding surfaces basally. They are usually lined with teeth and move sideways. Large pieces of leaves can therefore be cut and then pulverized near the actual mouth opening. This same simple structure is seen in all of the remaining Polyneopteran insect orders, with the exception of the Paraneoptera (Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, and Phthiraptera). Likewise, the mandibles of adult and larval Odonata are simple and generalized, while Ephemeroptera rarely feed as adults, though the larvae ("nymphs") have simple mandibles.