Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Evolution of Insect Wings and Flight

Abstract

Disputes during the nineteenth century as to whether insect wings originated from gills or from paranotal lobes ended with almost universal acceptance of the paranotal theory. Sir Vincent Wiggles-worth, however, here gives evidence that the thoracic styli were perhaps the precursors of insect wings, and describes a theory of the origin of insect flight.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Oken, L., Lehrbuch der Naturphilosophie (August Schnid, Jena, 1811).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gegenbaur, C., Grundzüge der vergleichenden Anatomie (Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, 1870).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Müller, F., Jena. Z. Naturw., 9, 241 (1875).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Crampton, G. C., Jl N.Y. ent. Soc., 24, 1 (1916).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Snodgrass, R. E., Rep. Smithson. Inst., 383 (1929).

  6. Snodgrass, R. E., Smithsonian misc. Collns, 85, No. 6 (1931).

  7. Ibid., 138, No. 2 (1958).

  8. Packard, A. S., A Text-book of Entomology (Macmillan, New York, 1898).

  9. Hinton, H. E., Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond., C 28, 23 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Flower, J. W., J. Insect Physiol., 10, 81 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Pringle, J. W. S., Insect Flight (Cambridge University Press, 1957).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Forbes, W. T. M., Am. Midl. Nat., 29, 381 (1943).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ross, H. H., Ent. News, 66, 197 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hamilton, K. G. A., J. Kans. ent. Soc., 44, 421 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Woodworth, C. W., Univ. Calif. Publs. (Entomology), 1, 1 (1906).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Heymons, R., Abh. preuss. Akad. Wiss., 1 (1896).

  17. Börner, C., Zool. Anz., 33, 806 (1909).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Dürken, B., Zool. Jb., Abt. Anat., 44, 439 (1923).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Eastham, L. E. S., Proc. R. Soc., B 115, 30 (1934).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Vayssière, A., Annls Sci. nat. Zool., 13, 1 (1882).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hansen, H. J., Studies on Arthropoda, 3 (Copenhagen, 1930).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Sharov, A. G., Basic Arthropodan Stock with Special Reference to Insects (Pergamon, Oxford, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Tower, W. L., Zool. Jb., Abt. Anat., 17, 517 (1903).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Lubbock, J., On the Origin and Metamorphoses of Insects (Macmillan, London, 1873).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Wigglesworth, V. B., Nature, 197, 97 (1963).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Glick, P. A., Tech. Bull. U. S. Dept. Agric., 673 (1939).

  27. Beament, J. W. L., J. exp. Biol., 38, 277 (1961).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Landa, V., Vêst. Čsl. zool. Spol., 12, 25 (1948).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Leston, D., Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond., C28, 23 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Kennedy, J. S., Nature, 189, 785 (1961).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Johnson, C. G., Migration and Dispersal of Insects by Flight (Methuen, London, 1969).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Rainey, R. C., Tech. Notes Wld met. Org., 54 (1963).

  33. Rainey, R. C., Proc. Twelfth int. Congr. Ent., London, 1964, 1, 134 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Mamajev, B. M., Proc. Thirteenth int. Congr. Ent., Moscow, 1968, 1, 269 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Romer, A. S., Vertebrate Paleontology (University of Chicago Press, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  36. Southwood, T. R. E., Biol. Rev., 37, 171 (1962).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

WIGGLESWORTH, V. Evolution of Insect Wings and Flight. Nature 246, 127–129 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/246127a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/246127a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing