Texas Future Farmers Of America (FFA) Entomology Career Development Events (CDE) Practice Exam

The brown dog tick is properly classified as an insect under the category of hemimetabolous insects. Hemimetabolous insects undergo incomplete metamorphosis, which is characterized by three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult, without a pupal stage. Ticks, including the brown dog tick, are arachnids and do not fit within the insect classifications provided as they are not insects at all; rather, they belong to the class Arachnida. They have a different life cycle and physiological characteristics compared to insects, which includes having eight legs as adults instead of the six legs that insects possess. For clarification regarding the classifications provided: insects that exhibit holometabolous development go through complete metamorphosis, meaning they have distinct egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Ametabolous insects undergo very little change in body form after hatching, typically developing through a series of nymphs that resemble the adult form closely. In summary, the classification of the brown dog tick is detailed in the context of its arachnid nature rather than fitting into the classifications of hemimetabolous or ametabolous insects.