ENTOMOLOGICAL
GLOSSARY
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Abdomen
|
The rear part of the 3 main divisions of an insects body. |
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Alula
|
Distinct lobe of the wing in certain flies. |
| Antennae | The pair of sensory organs on the head. |
| Apical | The tip or furthest part of any organ. |
| Aposematic | Bright in colour to serves as a warning to predators. More often than not red, yellow and black. |
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Apterous |
Without wings |
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Arista |
A bristle-like outgrowth from the antennae. |
| Brachypterous | Having short wings. |
| Calypter | A flap-like outgrowth from the thorax of certain flies. |
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Cerci
|
A pair of appendages which are usually very long that project from the tip of the abdomen in many insects. |
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Corbicula |
The pollen basket on the hind leg of many bees. |
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Coxa
|
The basal segment of an insects leg. |
Ecdysis |
The shedding of skin or moulting process. |
| Elytron | The hardened front wings of beetles that have been modified into covers for the hindwings. |
|
|
Notched or toothed in the margin. |
| Eruciform | In relation to larva - Sub-cylindrical and with rear hind legs and having true thoracic legs. |
| Haltere | Modified hindwing in true flies. |
| Hemimetabolous | Developing by incomplete or gradual metamorphosis. The immature stages are referred to as nymphs. |
| Holometabolous | Developing by complete metamorphosis. The immature stages are referred to as larvae. |
| Imago | An adult insect. |
| Inquiline | A species that lives in the nest, gall or home of another. |
| Mesothorax | The 2nd thoracic segment. |
| Metamorphosis | The name given to the life cycle and changes therein of an insect. |
| Metathorax | The 3rd thoracic segment. |
| Nymph | The immature stage of insects that undergo an incomplete metamorphosis. |
| Ocellus | One of 3 simple eyes that occur in many insects. |
| Plumose | Usually concerning the feathery branches located at the end of the antennae. |
| Probiscis | Tube like mouthparts used for feeding. |
| Proleg | A short, fleshy hind leg of a caterpillar. |
| Pronotum | The dorsal cover of the first segment of the thorax. |
| Prothorax | The 1st thoracic segment. |
| Puparium | A barrel shaped pupal case of many flies. |
| Rostrum | A beak or snout that is the piercing mouth parts of bugs and the elongated snout of weevils. |
| Scape | The 1st antennal segment. |
| Scutellum | Large plate (usually triangular) projecting back from the top of the mesothorax. |
| Spiracle | The breathing holes of an insect located on the thorax and abdomen. |
| Spur | A movable spine found on the legs. |
| Stridulation | The act of producing sound by rubbing 2 parts of the body together. |
| Tarsus | The foot of the insect. |
| Thorax | The middle (2nd) major division of the insects body. |
| Tibia | A part of the leg between the femur and tarsus |
| Trochanter | A small part of the leg located between the coxa and the femur. |
| Vertex | Located at the top of the head between and behind the eyes. |
| Vestigal | Poorly developed |