This document summarizes the wing venation patterns of various insect orders. It describes the basic longitudinal veins (costa, subcosta, radius, media, cubitus, anal) and cross veins that make up the wing venation in insects. It provides detailed descriptions and diagrams of the wing venation in specific examples, including damselflies, dragonflies, cockroaches, grasshoppers, stick insects, cicadas, beetles, flies, and butterflies. The wing venation patterns vary between orders and can be useful for species identification.

1. WING
VENATION
TYPES
SSNAIK
M.Sc.ENTOMOLOGY
TNAU
COIMBATORE

2. INTRODUCTION:
Is insect is an animal ?

3. KINGDOM
ANIMALIA
INVERTEBRATA VERTEBRATA
PROTOZOA
PORIFERA
CNIDARIA
PLATYHELMINTHES
NEMATODA
ANNELIDA
ARTHROPODA
MOLLUSCA,
ECHINODERMATA
CHORDATA:
FISHES,
AMPHIBIANS,
REPTILES, APES,
MAMMALS

4. The only invertebrate
animal and it is the first
animal having the wings
___insect

5. 2.ORIGIN
AND
EVOLUTION OF
WING

6. Fossil records in Carboniferous times,.
2 pairs of fully developed wings+ 2 paranotal
lobes

7. DEVELOPMENT OF THE WING
Diagrammatic cross section of plates of the thoracic segments a
thoracic segment with paranotal extensions of the tergum

10. WING BUDS DEVELOPMENT

11. CONTRIBUTIONS :
STRUCTURE-COMSTOCK,
SNODGRASS
COUPLING-TILLYARD
ARTICULATION-PRINGLE
WINGS

12. 3.W3.WININGG S STTRRUUCCTTUURERE

13. Anterior
………………….
……………………
PTEROTHORAX
HEAD NECK THORAX
ABDOMEN
INSECT:

14. STRUCTURE OF INSECT THORACIC SEGMENT
NOTUM
PLEURON PLEURON
STERNUM

15. • 1 2
3
A
B
C

16. WING
VENATION

17. VEIN:

19. 1. Longitudinal veins : Extend from base of the wing
to the margin. They may
be convex (∩) or concave (U)
2. Cross veins : That interlink the longitudinal veins
c
Sc
HUMORAL CROSS VEIN
WING BASE

20. Precoasta (PC): This vein is fused with costa
in all extant insects, mostly unrecognisable.
1.Costa (C) : at the leading edge of the wing,
strong and marginal, extends to the apex of the
wing, it is unbranched.
c

21. Sub costa (Sc) : It runs immediately below
the costa always in the bottom of a trough
between C and R .It is forked distally .The two
branches of SC are Sc1 and Sc2 and is concave
Sc
Sc1
Sc2
Subcosta (Sc): the second longitudinal vein,
mainly the subcosta posterior sector (ScP). Sc
is reduced or fused with R in most Hemiptera.

22. 3. Radial vein (R ): It is the next main vein , stout and connects
at the base with second auxillary sclerite , it divided in to two
branches R1 and Rs (Radial sector). R1 goes directly towards
apical margin and is convex; Rs is concave and divided in to 4
branches, R2, R3,R4, R5.
R
R1
R1
Rs
R2
R3
R4
R5
Radius (R) -- the third vein, usually the strongest vein on the wing, with
branches usually cover the largest area of wing apex. RP is often referred
to as radial sector (Rs) and the end branches as R1-5.

23. Media (M) :It is one of the two veins articulating
with some of the small median seclerites.
It is divided in two branches 1. Media anterior (MA)
which is convex and Media posterior(MP) and is
concave.
Media anterior is again divided into MA1 and MA2.
Median posterior is again divided in to MP1, MP2,
MP3, MP4.
MA1
MA2.
Mp1
Mp2
Mp3
Mp4
M
MA
MP

24. 5. Cubitus (Cu): It articulates with median auxillary
sclerite. Cubitus is divided into convex CU1 and
concave CU2. CU1 is again divided into CU1a and
CU1b.
Cu Cu1
Cu2
Cu2
Cu1a
Cu1b

25. 6. Anal veins (A) : These veins are convex.
They are individual un-branched, 1-3 in number.
1A
2A

26. 1 or 2 jugal veins (unbranched) are
present in the jugal lobe of the forewing.
1j
2j

27. THE INSECT WING
costa
subcosta
radius
medial
cubitus
anal
jugal
C
Sc
R
RS
MA
MP
CuA
CuP
A
J

28. CROSS VEINS:
Humeral cross vein (h) : Between costa and subcosta
Radial cross vein (r ) : Between radius and radial
sector
Sectorial cross veins (s): Between sub branches of
radial sector
Radio medial cross vein (r-m): Between radius and
media l vein
Medical cross veins : Between branches of media
Medio-cubital veins : Between media and cubitus

29. VIEN

30. WING VENATION MODIFICATIONS
1.INCRESED WING
Eg: Lepidoptera
Moths and butterfly
2.REDUCED WING
Eg: Thrips - Thysonoptera

31. 4.INCRESED WING VENATION
3.REDUCED
WING VENATION

32. WING
VENATION
MODIFICATION

33. Damselfly and Dragonfly's Wings

34. Here are five (R+M counted as 1) main vein stems on dragonfly and damselfly
wings;
1. Costa (C) -- at the leading edge of the wing, strong and marginal, extends to
the apex of the wing.
2. Subcosta (Sc) -- second longitudinal vein, it is unbranched, joins C at nodus.
3. Radius and Media (R+M) -- third and fourth longitudinal vein, the strongest
vein on the wing, with branches, R1-R4, reach the wing margin, the media
anterior (MA) are also reach the wing margin. IR2 and IR3 are intercalary
veins behind R2 and R3 respectively.
4. Cubitus (Cu) -- fifth longitudinal vein, cubitus posterior (CuP) is unbranched
and reach the wing margin.
5. Anal veins (1A) -- unbranched veins behind the cubitus.
6. A nodus is formed where the second main vein meets the leading edge of the
wing. The black pterostigma is carried near the wing tip.
The main veins and the crossveins form the wing venation pattern. The
venation patterns are different in different species. There may be very
numerous crossveins or rather few. The Australian Flatwing Damselfly's
wings are one of the few veins patterns. The venation pattern is useful for
species identification.

35. COCKROACH'S WINGS
Cockroach's forewing are also known as tegmen, more or
less sclerotised. It is used in flight as well as protection of
membranous hind wings.
Wing veins of Austral Ellipsidion Cockroach

36. 1. Costa (C) -- at the leading edge of the wing.
2. Subcosta (Sc) -- second longitudinal vein, it is
relatively short.
3. Radius (R) -- third longitudinal vein, with many
pectinate branches.
4. Media (M) -- fourth longitudinal vein, reach the wing
margin.
5. Cubitus anterior (CuA) -- fifth longitudinal vein, with
dichotomous branches occupy large part of tegmen.
6. Cubitus posterior (CuP) is unbranched, curved and
reach the wing margin.
7. Anal veins (A) -- veins behind the cubitus.
The veins of hind wing are about the same as front
wing but with large anal lobe folded at rest between CuP
and 1A. The anal lobe usually folded in a fan-like manner.

37. Grasshopper's Wings
Grasshopper forewings are tough opaque tegmina, narrow and covering the
hind wings and abdomen at rest. Hind wings are board membranous and folded
in fan-like manner.
Wing veins of Giant Grasshoppe

38. 1. Costa (C) -- at the leading marginal of the forewing and
hind wing, unbranched.
2. Subcosta (Sc) -- second longitudinal vein, unbranched.
3. Radius (R) -- third longitudinal vein, branched to Rs in
forewing and hind wing.
4. Media anterior (MA) -- fourth longitudinal vein, branched
in basal part as Media posterior (MP).
5. Cubitus (Cu) -- fifth longitudinal vein, on forewing and
hind wing dividing near the wing base into branched CuA,
and unbranched CuP.
6. Anal veins (A) -- veins behind the cubitus, unbranched,
two in forewing, many in hind wing.

39. STICK INSECT'S WINGS
Stick insect forewings are tough opaque
tegmina, short and covering only the base part
of the hind wings at rest. Hind wings from costa
to Cubitus are tough and opaque like the
forewings. The large anal area are membranous
and folded in fan-like manner. There are no or
very few branching in Stick Insect wing veins.

40. Wing veins of Children's Stick Insect
Wing veins of male Goliath

41. CICADA'SWINGS:
Both forewings and hindwings of Cicada are
membranous.

42. 1. Costa (C) -- at the leading wing marginal, in forewing
extends to the node and lies close to Sc+R.
2. Subcosta + Radius (Sc+R) -- in forewing Sc and R
fused together to the node. Radial sector (Rs) arises
near the node and unbranches.
3. Radius anterior (RA)
4. Radius posterior (RP)
5. Media (M) -- branches to M1 to M4.
6. Cubitus anterior (CuA) -- branches to CuA1 and
CuA2.
7. Cubitus posterior (CuP) -- unbranches.
8. Anal veins (A) -- veins behind the cubitus, 1A and 2A
fused in the forewing, CuP and 2A are folded.

43. BEETLE'S WINGS
Beetle's functional wings are the hind wings.
The hind wing is longer than the elytra,folded
longitudinally and transversely under the
elytra.

45. Beetle wing venation is reduced and modified
due to the folding structure.
1.Costa (C), Subcosta posterior (ScP) -- at the leading wing
marginal, fused for most of the length.
2.Radius anterior (RA) - divided into two branches beyond
the middle of the wing.
3.Radius posterior (RP) - basal connection is lost.
4.Media posterior (MP) -- branches, long and strong vein.
5.Cubitus anterior (CuA)
6.Anal veins (AA, AP) -- veins behind the cubitus, separated
by anal fold.

46. FLY'S WINGS
Fly has only one pair of functional wings. The hind
wings reduced to small club-like structure known as
halteres. The halteres vibrate rapidly during flight, act
as gyroscopic sense organs of balance.
WING VEINS OF TIPULIDAE WING VEINS OF TABANOIDAE

47. WING VEINS OF ASILIDAE
WING VEINS OF BOMBYLIIDAE

48. WING VEINS OF SYRPHIDAE
WING VEINS OF TACHINIDAE

49. 1. Costa (C) -- not found in Diptera.
2. Subcosta (Sc) -- became the leading wing vein,
unbranched.
3. Radius (R) -- branched to R1-R5.
4. Media (M) -- branched to M1-M4.
5. Cubitus (CuA) -- unbranched, CuP is reduced in
Diptera. Some species CuA and 1A are separated,
some species meets when reaching the wing
margin, some species fused.
6. Anal veins (A) -- only two anal veins 1A and 2A
are present, 2A is not distinctive in some species.
7.Discal Cell (dc) -- well define in most spe

50. BUTTERFLY'S WINGS
Butterfly has two pairs of membranous wings, clothed with with two
layers of 'scales'.
WING VEINS OF PIERIDAE
WING VEINS OF PAPIOLONIDAE

51. WING VEINS OF NYMPHALIDAE
WING VEINS OF LYCAENIDAE

52. Costa (C) -- not found in Butterflies.
Subcosta + Radius 1 (Sc+R1) -- at the leading wing marginal, fused or
very close for most of the length, in hind wing fused and well developed
in the humeral area, subcosta never branches in butterfly.
Radius (R2-R5) - radius divides into branches beyond the middle of the
wing up to five branches in Papilionidae. On forewing, the last R is stalked
in all butterflies except Hesperiidae is separated.
Radius sector (Rs) - in hind wing.
Media (M1-M3) - the basal section has been lost.
Cubitus anterior (CuA1-CuA2) - CuP section has been lost.
Anal veins (A, 1A+2A, 3A) - either one vein A, or two veins 1A+2A, 3A.
Humeral vein - Notice that the hind wing of most butterflies (except
Lycaenidae) has the humeral vein. There is the enlargement of the
humeral area of the hind wing which is overlapped with the fore wing.
The humeral vein strengthened the hind wing overlapped area so that the
two wings coupling better.

53. HYMENOPTERA WING
WING VEINS OF SAWFLY
WING VEINS OF WASP

55. WING VEINS OF ANT
Costa (C) -- not found in Hymenoptera.
Subcosta (Sc) -- unbranched.
Radius (R) -- branched to R1-R5.
Media (M) -- M is unbranches, in forewing M is
fused with Rs for part of its length.
Cubitus (CuA) -- unbranched, CuP is absent in
Hymenoptera.
Anal veins (A) -- only two anal veins 1A and 2A are
present, 2A is not distinctive in some species.

56. 1.ODONATA:
 Pterostigma-both the fore and
hind wings
 Reticulum-both wings

57. 2.HYMONOPTERA,PSOCOPTERA,
MEGALOPTERA AND MECOPTERA
PTEROSTIGMA.

58. 3. CHALCIDOIDEA:
only the subcosta and the part of the
radius present.
SUBCOSTA

59. 4.Lepidoptera : Sc is in circular in cross section-bending
in any direction
Wing membrane
SUB COSTA

60. Wing modifications:
1.SCLEROTIZED FOREWINGS:
Tegmina – Orthoptera and Dermaptera
Hemelytra – Hemiptera/Heteroptera
Elytra – Coleoptera
2.WING REDUCTION:
Halteres (reduced HW) – Diptera
Acts as balancers during flight
3.APTEROUS – NO WINGS:
Flies, Dermaptera, Thysanura, etc.
Brachypterous – shortened/reduced wings
Gerrids, Orthoptera, etc.

61. ELYTRA - COLEOPTERA
Hard shell like without
clear venation. They
form horny sheet and
protect membranous
hind wings.

62. Tegmina - Orthoptera
TEGMINA
Forewings are leathery and tough .They
protect the membranous hindwings.

63. COCKROACH

64. ORDER DIPTERA-HALTERES
One pair of well-developed wings, other
pair reduced to knob like halteres
eg :Flies

65. HALTERES

66. Order -Lepidoptera-SCALES
Wings are broad thin ,
membranous but covered with
unicellular scales all over the
surface
BUTTERFLIES
MOTHS

67. ODONATA -MEMBRANOUS
Naked thin with clear venation. Always
useful of flight.
DRAGONFLY,DAMSELFLY

68. THYSANAPTERA [FRINGED WINGS]
Wings are highly reduced with reduced venation.
wings are fringed with long marginal hairs giving
feather like appearance.
THRIPS

69. FISSURED WINGS(Plume moth)

70. ORDERS AND THEIR MODIFATIONS
1.THYSANURA:
2. COLLUMBOLA
3.PROTURA
4.DIPLURA
APTERYGOTA

71. 5. EPHEMEROPTERA-Wing flexing menism is absent.
6.ODONATA –broad wings and petiolated wings.

72. 7.ORTHOPTERA:TEGMINA
TETTIGONIDAE _ALAR TYPE OF SOUND PRODUTION
8.PHASMIDA – LEAF LIKE MODIFIED WINGS

73. 9.DICTYOPTERA: NETWORK LIKE WING FW- TEGMINA
HW- MEMBRANOUS
10.ISOPTERA:EQUAL WINGS

74. 11. HEMIPTERA:
TINGIDAE :LACE WING BUGS
MIRIDAE :CORIUM, CLAUS AND CUNIUS
LYGAEIDAE :CUNIUS IS ABSENT
ANTHOCORIADE:EMBOLIUM IS PRESENT

75. 12.DERMAPTERA –FW : TEGMINA OR ELYTRA
HW:EAR LIKE SEMCIRULAR ,MEMBRANOUS ANAL AREA BRANCHES - FAN LIKE –
LONGITUDINALLY, TWICE TRANSEVERSELY

76. 13.MALLOPHAGA, SIPHONULATA,PSOCOPTERA:-
2NDRY WING LESS

77. 16.THYSONOPTERA –
FRINGED WINGS
17. NUEROPTERA –
NERVE LIKE WINGS

78. 14 . DIPTERA :HALTERES
15.COLEOPTERA : ELYTRA

79. 16. HYMENOPTERA :
FW – LARGE
HW- SMALL
REDUCED WING VENATION
17. LEPIDOPTERA: SCALES

80. WING COUPLING
1. Jugate
2. Male frenate
3. Female frenate
4. Amplexiform
5. Hamulate

81. 1.JUGATE TYPE
• Costal margin of front wing possess a small lobe
at its base called fibula, which rest on the
surface of the hind wings.

82. 2.Frenate (Lepidoptera)
FRENULUM RETINACULUM
MALE
FEMALE

83. 3.AMPLEXIFORM
• Costal margin of hind wing and anal
margin of fore wing overlap one above
the other.

84. 4.Hamulate (Hymenoptera)
Hamuli (hooks)

85. HAMULI

86. USES OF INSECT WINGS
The ability to fly allowed insects to use widely
 Scattered Food Resources.
 To Invade New Habitats.
 Escape unfavorable environments.

87.  Important adaptation mechanisms
 Seal to protect spiracles (pleural
and dorsal)
 Prevents dessication (water loss)

88. WHAT IS THE USE TO A
TAXANOMIST?
CLASSIFICATION

89. DRAGONFLIES DAMSELFLIES
Wings are unequal
hind wings are basally
broader than fore wings
Equal
Wings are broadly
attached to the abdomen
Petiolated wings
Venation is not similar
in both the wings
Venation is similar in
both the wings
Wings are spread
laterally at rest
Wings are held at an
angle above the abdomen

90. DRAGON FLY DAMSELFLY

91. Flight along with other arthropod
characteristics, has resulted in insects
becoming the most abundant and
diverse group of terrestrial animals.

92. PRESENTED BY
SABHAVAT SRINIVAS NAIK
ID NO: 13-503 -010