Pterygota

One subclass of the class Insecta, the other being the wingless Apterygota. Pterygotes are winged or secondarily wingless insects. Their metamorphosis is varied, rarely slight, and the adults usually have no abdominal appendages other than genitalia.

Classification Pterygota is in class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda.

This is a complex subclass that is further subdivided into two divisions:

Exopterygota In this division metamorphosis is simple, usually without a pupal state. The wings develop externally on the larval stages, which usually resemble the adults both in appearance and habits. There are 16 orders: Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Plecoptera, Grylloblattodea, Orthoptera, Phasmida, Dermaptera, Embioptera, Dictyoptera (Blattaria, Mantodea), Isoptera, Zoraptera, Psocoptera, Mallophaga, Anoplura, Hemiptera, and Thysanoptera.

Endopterygota In this division metamorphosis is complete, which means that the larva differs from the adult in both form and habits. The wings develop internally during the pupal stage, which is a period of transition from the larval to the adult form. This division contains nine orders: Neuroptera, Mecoptera, Trichoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Siphonaptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Strepsiptera.