Select the one animal that has all of the insect traits listed above.
Monarch butterflies have an exoskeleton and six legs. Monarch butterflies use their wings to migrate, or travel back and forth, across thousands of miles every year. They fly from Canada or the United States to Mexico in the late summer and fall. Monarch butterflies use their one pair of antennae to help keep them flying in the right direction. Trichina worms have soft, thin bodies. They have a cylindrical shape and do not have limbs. Trichina worms are not made up of segments. They can infect and feed off of humans, pigs, and other mammals.
Insects are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify insects:
They have six legs.
They have an exoskeleton.
They have one pair of antennae. Observe the animals and read the descriptions.
Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group.
To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Insects have the following traits:
They have six legs.
They have an exoskeleton.
They have one pair of antennae.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A monarch butterfly has the following traits:
It has six legs.
It has an exoskeleton.
It has one pair of antennae.
A monarch butterfly has the traits of an insect. A monarch butterfly is an insect.
A trichina worm has the following traits:
A trichina worm does not have all of the traits of an insect. A trichina worm is a roundworm.