Titanoptera
Appearance
Titanoptera Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
reconstruction of Gigatitan | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Infraclass: | Neoptera |
Cohort: | Polyneoptera |
Order: | †Titanoptera |
Families | |
Titanoptera is an extinct order of neopteran insects from the Triassic period. Titanopterans were very large in comparison with modern insects, some having wingspans of up to 36 centimetres (14 in).[1]
They were related to modern grasshoppers, but were much larger, had proportionally weaker hindlegs that could not allow the animals to leap, and grasping forelegs and elongated mandibles. Another distinctive feature was the presence of prominent fluted regions on the forewings, which may have been used in stridulation. The general shape and anatomy of the Titanopterans suggests that they were predators.[1]
Classification
Order Titanoptera
- Family †Mesotitanidae
- Genus †Deinotitan
- Genus †Mesotitan
- Genus †Mesotitanodes
- Genus †Prototitan
- Genus †Ultratitan
- Family †Paratitanidae
- Genus †Paratitan
- Family †Gigatitanidae
References
- ^ a b Hoell, H.V.; Doyen, J.T. & Purcell, A.H. (1998). Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 322. ISBN 0-19-510033-6.
External links
Wikispecies has information related to Titanoptera.