======Grasshopper Dissection======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Alternative titles:** Orthoptera Dissection
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  *Follow instructions provided in the links below.



====Links==== 
Grasshopper Dissection- Biologybyme: 
{{youtube>P_jEmEfocdk?}}\\

How to Dissect a Grasshopper (“Bug Doc” Dave Shetlar) - OSU Extension Professionals: 
{{youtube>N1aRRNg8kXQ?}}\\

📄 Grasshopper Dissection - Carolina: [[https://www.carolina.com/teacher-resources/Interactive/grasshopper-dissection-activity/tr10823.tr?srsltid=AfmBOorrINB1IZ5BMAjxMGqtpehmwFWIos_A08N4DWMLPvf48lwaHUDn]]\\

📄 Virtual Grasshopper Dissection: [[https://www.ent.iastate.edu/ref/anatomy/ihop/]]\\


====Variations====
  *Compare male and female specimens and tabulate diagnostic features (ovipositor vs. claspers; gonad morphology).
  *Dissect a second insect (e.g., beetle or cockroach) and create a comparison chart of shared and unique features.
  *Focus study: isolate and diagram only the digestive system or only the tracheal system for deeper analysis.
  *Use a stereomicroscope to examine mouthparts and spiracles before internal dissection.
  *Relate function to form by measuring leg segment lengths and inferring locomotor adaptations.



====Safety Precautions====
  *Wear gloves and a lab coat at all times.
  *Use scissors as the primary cutting tool; cut slowly and keep the specimen flat on the tray (do not cut while holding it).
  *Handle forceps, probes, and pins carefully; dispose of broken or bent pins properly.
  *Treat preservatives and tissues as potential irritants; work in a well-ventilated area and avoid contact with skin and eyes.
  *Keep food and drink out of the lab; disinfect work surfaces before and after the activity.
  *Follow institutional guidelines for biological waste and sharps disposal.
  *Provide nitrile gloves for anyone with latex sensitivity.




====Questions to Consider====
  *What are the three main body regions of an adult insect, and where are they on the grasshopper? (Head, thorax, abdomen; easily identified externally.)
  *Why does each thoracic segment bear a pair of legs, and why do wings attach to the posterior thoracic segments? (The thorax specializes in locomotion; wings are supported by the meso- and metathorax.)
  *How does gas exchange occur without lungs? (Air enters spiracles and moves through tracheae directly to tissues by diffusion and body movements.)
  *What is the function of the gastric caeca attached to the stomach? (They increase digestive surface area and secrete enzymes to aid digestion.)
  *Which external features help you distinguish male from female grasshoppers? (Females have an ovipositor of four curved plates; males lack an ovipositor and have small claspers with a blunt abdominal tip.)
  *How does the exoskeleton benefit and limit the grasshopper? (Provides protection and support but requires molting for growth and limits size due to diffusion-based respiration.)
  *Why is scissors-first dissection recommended for insects? (Controlled cuts reduce damage to internal organs and prevent cracking the exoskeleton.)