Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology
Chapter 12
Percurrent: running through the entire length.
Pereion: the prothorax.
Pereipoda: the second and third pair of thoracic legs of larvae, and the 2d pair in adults.
Perfoliate: divided into leaf-like plates: applied to antennae with disc-like expansions connected by a stalk passing nearly through their centres: also to any part possessing a well-developed leaf-like or plate-like expansion.
Pergamenous: thin, partly transparent: resembling parchment.
Peri-: round about.
Periopticon: a complex nerve structure back of the basilar membrane of the eye.
Pericardial: around, or belonging to the heart.
Pericardial cavity: the space between the diaphragm and dorsal body wall, which contains the heart.
Pericardial cells: specialized cells, which lie along both sides of the heart, and whose function it is to purify the blood.
Pericardial chamber: is the open space around the heart or dorsal vessel.
Pericardial diaphragm: a delicate membranous tissue attached to the ventral surface of the heart and laterally to the body wall := dorsal diaphragm wings of the heart.
Peri-intestinal: that part of the body cavity around the alimentary canal.
Peri-neural: situated around a nerve: the body cavity immediately surrounding the nervous system.
Periodical: recurring at regular intervals.
Periopticon: third ganglionic swelling of optic tract: see opticon.
Peripheral: referring to the outer margin.
Peripheria: the entire outline of the body.
Periphery: the circumference or outer margin.
Peripneustic: larvae which have the spiracles absent on middle and posterior thoracic rings, and present on all other body segments.
Peripodal cavities: pouches in the embryo in which the rudiments of the future legs and wings are developed.
Peripodal membrane: the cell layer surrounding the peripodal cavities. Peristaltic: that periodic motion of the alimentary canal by means of which the food is forced toward the anal extremity.
Peristethium: the meso-sternum.
Peristoma -ium: the border of the mouth or oral margin in Diptera; sometimes used as := epistoma: q.v.
Peristome: a membranous tissue surrounding the mouth parts at base, and forming the true ventral wall of the head.
Peritoneal: applied to the membrane surrounding the viscera, trachea, and other internal structures.
Peritracheal: surrounding the trachea.
Peritreme: the corneous selerite surrounding a spiracle.
Peritrophic membrane: a funnel-like extension of the fore-gut, extending back tube-like, through the chylific ventricle in some insects.
Perivisceral: the cavity containing the alimentary canal and its appendages.
Perlate: beaded: bearing relieved, rounded points in series.
Perpendicular: upright: at right angles to horizontal.
Persicinus: the red of peach blossoms.
Persistent: remaining constantly; always present.
Personate: gaping wide open; masked; disguised.
Pes, Pedes: a foot feet.
Petiolar area or Petiolarea: on the metanotum of some Hymenoptera, the apical or hindmost of the three median cells 3d median area; apical area.
Petiolate: that series of Hymenoptera in which there is a slender stalk between the thorax and abdomen: = apocrita.
Petiolate: supported or placed on a stem or stalk; usually applied in describing venation and the method of attachment of abdomen to thorax.
Petiole: a stem or stalk: specifically the slender segment between the thorax and abdomen in many Hymenoptera, and some Diptera.
Phaeism: applied to a duskiness of butterflies occurring in a limited region.
Phagocyte: a corpuscle or cell that devours or absorbs noxious organisms and also absorbs the organs of the larval stage in the developments to the adult condition.
Phagocytosis: the destruction or devouring of bacteria or other microorganisms by phagocytes.
Phalaenae: a Linnean term embracing most of the heterocerous Lepidoptera: more specifically applied to the Geometridae.
Phalanx -ges: a joint or joints of the tarsus: a division of classification of uncertain value: similar to tribe.
Phalerated: beaded.
Phallus: =penis: q.v.
Pharyngeal pump: = sucking pump; q.v.
Pharynx: the back part of the mouth and upper part of the throat: a slight enlargement at the beginning of the oesophagus: in Diptera is sometimes restricted to the space between the hypopharynx and sub-clypeal pump, and is then = sub-clypeal tube.
Phauloptera: an ordinal term for the scale insects (Laporte 1835).
Phleboptera: = Hymenoptera; q.v.
Phonetic: sound producing; applied to stridulating structures.
Phosphorescent: shining or glowing in the dark, like phosphorus.
Photogenic: a light producing structure; producing a Phosphorescent glow.
Phragma: a partition or dividing membrane: longitudinal, thin partitions passing down from the dorsum of meso- and meta-thorax: the partition formed by the inflexed hinder edge of prothorax.
Phragmocyttares: social wasps in which the combs of the nest are wholly or partly supported by the covering envelope: see stelocyttares: poecilocyttares.
Phthiriasis: a diseased condition of the skin caused by sucking lice.
Phyllophagous: feeding upon leaf tissue.
Phylogenetic: relating to tribal or stem development.
Phylogeny: the development of a genus, family, tribe or class: see ontogeny.
Phyloptera: the super-ordinal term proposed to include all the net-veined orders, the Orthoptera and Dermatoptera.
Phylum: a stem or tribe: used in classification to indicate a series of related organisms.
Physopoda: bladder-footed: = Thysanoptera; q.v.
Phytophaga: plant-eaters: beetles in which the 4th and 5th tarsal joints are anchylosed and the 3d is lobed.
Phytophagus: feeding upon plants.
Phytophilous: plant loving: species that live on plants.
Phytophthira: plant lice: some authors include also scale insects.
Phytoscopic: characters of light or conditions of illumination that affect colors of caterpillars. {Scanner's comment: This is a puzzling term. I suspect it is a misspelling of "Photoscopic"}
Piceous -eus: pitchy black.
Picine: black, with a bluish oily lustre.
Pick: a chitinous maxillary structure in Psocidae.
Pieza: the combined biting and sucking mouth of the Hymenoptera.
Piezata: the Fabrician term for Hymenoptera.
Pigment: any coloring matter or material that gives a color appearance. {Scanner's comment: sic}
Pile: a hairy or fur-like covering: in Diptera, applied to thick, fine, short, erect hair, giving a surface appearance like velvet.
Pilifer or Piliger: a small sclerite at each side of the clypeus in Lepidoptera, resembling a rudimentary mandible.
Piliferous: with a covering of fine hair or pile.
Pillared eye: in Ephemerids, that type which is placed on a cylindrical stalk or process: = turbinate eye.
Pilous or Pilose: clothed with down, or dense pile: with long, sparse hair.
Pilosity: a covering of fine, long hair.
Pincers: the anal forceps.
Pinna: a narrow wing; a feather.
Pinnae: of posterior femur in jumping Orthoptera, are the oblique ridges running to the median line and somewhat resembling a feather.
Pinnate: feather-like; cleft, like the wings of Alucita: with markings resembling a feather: with stiff hairs or thorny processes occupying opposite sides of a thin shank.
Pinnatifid: divided into feathers, as when wings are cleft nearly to the base.
Pistazinus: yellowish green, with a slight brownish tinge [pale green with a little burnt sienna].
Plaga: a spot, stripe or streak of color; a longitudinal spot of irregular form.
Plaited: longitudinally folded or laid in pleats.
Planate: with a flattened surface.
Plane: level, flat; applied to a surface.
Planipennia: applied to Neuroptera in which the wings are large and laid flat on the body wnen at rest; Sialidae, Myrmeleonidae, etc.
Planta -ae: the basal joint of the posterior tarsus in pollen gathering Hymenoptera: the soles of the posterior tarsal joints: the anal clasping legs of caterpillars.
Plantigrade: species that walk on the entire foot, not on the claws alone.
Plantula: a lobe of the divided tarsal pulvillus; one of the soles or climbing cushions of the foot: see arolium; pulviglus.
Plaques: the small leathery hemelytra in some Naucorids.
Plasma: the liquid portion of animal fluids and cells.
Plasticity: the capacity for being formed, moulded or developed.
Plate: any broad flattened piece or sclerite: = squame, in Coccidae.
Platelet: a little plate or sclerite of chitin in a membrane.
Plates: in Coccidae, the squames; q.v.: in male Homoptera, a pair of pieces following the last full ventral segment; usually preceded by a short piece, - the valve.
Platyptera: flat and broad-winged: an ordinal term applied to insects with four net-veined wings, secondaries longitudinally folded beneath primaries; mouth mandibulate; prothorax free; transformations complete: Psocidae, Termitidae, Perlidae and Mallophaga. {Scanner's comment: These four groups are now placed in totally separate orders, and not families as these names imply}
Plecoptera or Plectoptera: plaited winged: an ordinal term applied to net-veined insects in which the secondaries are longitudinally folded beneath primaries; mouth mandibulate; body loosely jointed; prothorax free; metamorphosis incomplete: the term Plecoptera was used by Brauer for Perlidae; Plectoptera by Packard for the Ephemerida: there has been some confusion since, and both have been used in the Brauer sense.
Pleon: = abdomen; q.v.
Pleopoda: abdominal legs of larva: posterior legs of an adult.
Plesiobiosis: see symbiosis.
Plesiotype: any specimen identified with a described or named species by a person other than the describer.
Pleura: plural of pleuron or pleurum: the lateral sclerites between the dorsal and sternal portion of the thorax: in general, the sides of the body between the dorsum and sternum.
Pleural areas: on the metanotum of some Hymenoptera, the three spaces between the lateral and pleural carinae; the 1st or anterior = spiracular area; the 2d or central = middle pleural; the 3d or posterior = angular area.
Pleural carinae: in Hymenoptera, extend along the exterior margin of the metanotum.
Pleural pieces: the lateral sclerites of the thorax; see pleura.
Pleurites: the sclerites into which the pleurum is divided.
Pleuron: the side of the thorax.
Pleuropodia: embryonic or temporary bands formed by the modified first pair of abdominal legs in many insects.
Pleurostict: lamellicorn beetles in which the abdominal spiracles are situated on the dorsal portion of the ventral sclerites.
Pleurum: = pleuron; plural, pleura; q.v.
Plexus: a knot: applied to a knot-like mass of nerves, or tracheae.
Plica: a fold or wrinkle: a longitudinal plait of a wing.
Plicate: plaited; folded like a fan.
Plications: folding,; applied to the folds on the hind wings of Orthoptera.
Plicipenna: = Trichoptera; proposed by Latreille.
Plumate: like a feather.
Plumbeus: leaden or bluish gray [neutral].
Plumose: feathered; like a plume: antennae that have long ciliated processes on each side of each joint: see cirrate.
Plump: with full, rounded outlines; not obese.
Plumules: specialized scales of the androconia of male Lepidoptera.
Pluri: as a prefix, means many.
Pluri-dentate: with many teeth.
Pluri-setose: bearing several seta; as the head in some Carabids.
Pluri-valve: with several valves or valve-like appendages.
Pneumogastric: the ganglion supplying nerves for the tracheal and digestive system: also used as = vagus: q.v.
Pneustocera: breathing horns: the prolongations of the metathoracic spiracles in Berytidae, etc.
Pnystega: in Odonata, applied by Charpentier to a portion of mesonotum.
Pobrachial: a longitudinal vein of the Ephemerid wing just behind praebrachial; usually simple: number 7 of some systems.
Podeon: in Hymenoptera, the petiole: the true second abdominal segment.
Podex: the upper plate of the anal opening; = supra-anal or sur-anal plate in caterpillars.
Podical plates: the latero-ventral plates attached to the loth abdominal segment of Orthoptera; the two pieces on each side of the vent, thought by Huxley to be rudiments of an 11th abdominal ring; united they form the tergite of a rudimentary ring: = anal valves: paranal lobes.
Pododunera: apterous insects with biting mouth structures.
Podotheca: that part of pupa that covers the legs of future adult.
Poecilocyttares: social wasps that build their combs around the branch or other support covered by the envelope: see stelocyttares and phragmocyttares.
Poisers: = halteres and balancers; q.v.
Poison glands: sometimes applied to the salivary glands of bugs and biting flies; more usually to an abdominal gland connected with the sting of female Hymenoptera.
Policate: a tibia produced inwardly into a short, bent spine or thumb.
Politus: smooth, shiny, polished.
Pollen: a dusty or pruinose surface covering which is easily rubbed off; used mostly in Diptera.
Pollen-plate: a polished area margined by hair, on the outer face of the tibia in bees.
Pollex: a thumb: the stout fixed spur at inside of tip of tibia.
Pollicatus: = policate; q.v.
Polliniferous: formed for collecting pollen: pollen bearing.
Pollinigerous: = polliniferous: q.v.
Pollinose: covered with a yellow, pollen-like dust.
Poly-: many, much.
Polyandry: where a female mates with more than one male.
Polychromatic: many colored.
Polydomous: applied to ants when one colony has several nests.
Polyembryony: the production of several embryos from a single egg, as in some Chalcids.
Polygamy: where a male mates with more than one female.
Polygonal: with many angles.
Polygoneutism: the power to preduce several broods in one season.
Polymorpha: the claviform and serricorn Coleoptera, as a whole.
Polymorphic-ous: occurring in several forms; differing in sex, In season, in locality or without apparent reason: undergoing Several changes, and in this sense applied to insects with a complete metamorphosis.
Polynephria: applied to insects with many urinary (Malpighian) tubes.
Polyphagous: eating many kinds of food.
Polyphyletic: derived or descended from several stems or sources.
Polypodous: having many feet, and thus, specifically applied to the Myriapoda, and to the larvae of Lepidoptera and saw-flies, in contradistinction to footless and hexapodous larvae.
Ponderable: that which may be weighed.
Pone: behind (the middle).
Ponticulus: = frenulum; q.v.
Porcate: marked with raised longitudinal lines.
Pore: any small, round opening on the surface.
Poriferous: closely set with deep pittings or punctures.
Porose -us: with little round openings on the surface.
Porrect: stretched out forward: straightly prominent.
Post-: behind or after.
Post-alar callosities: rounded processes at the posterior lateral margin of the dorsum, in Diptera.
Post-alar callus: in Diptera, a rounded swelling between the root of the wing and the scutellum.
Post-alar membrane: the strip of membrane connecting the squamae with the scutellum.
Postal vein: in Hymenoptera, = costa (Comst.).
Post-annellus: in Hymenoptera, the 4th joint of antenna and 2d of flagellum.
Post antennal organs: in Collembola, oblong or ellipsoidal organs situated just caudad of the bases of the antenna.
Post-brachial: = pobrachial; q.v.
Post-cerebral: applied to that pair of salivary glands in bees, situated close to the posterior wall of the head.
Post-clypeus: in Odonata, the upper of the two parts into which the clypeus is divided: in Psocidae, a peculiar inflated structure behind the clypeus: in general, the posterior or upper part of clypeus when any line of demarcation exists: = supra-clypeus; nasus: afternose; paraclypeus: first clypeus; clypeus posterior.
Post-costa: = sub-costa (Comst.): in Odonata, = 1st anal vein (Comst.): in Trichoptera = anal.
Post-costal space: Odonata; the cell or cells lying posterior to the post-costa = anal cell (Comst.).
Post-cubitals: = post-nodal spaces; q.v.
Post-dorsulum: the middle piece of the meta-notum, between the mesophragma and post-scutellum.
Post-embryonic -otic: the stage after the insect has come out of the egg.
Post-epistoma: that part of the head behind the clypeus in Hymenoptera: see also post-clypeus.
Posterior: hinder or hindmost: opposed to anterior: in Diptera; applied to that face of the legs which is not visible when viewed from the front, the legs being laterally extended.
Posterior angle: of thorax, in Coleoptera, is the lateral angle near base of elytra: of the wings = hind angle; anal angle; q.v.
Posterior cells: in Diptera (Will.): 1st radial 5 (Comst.): 2d = medial 1 (Comst.): 3d = 2d medial 2 (Comst.) 4th = medial 3 (Comst.): 5th cubitus 1 (Comst.).
Posterior cephalic foramen: in Odonata, the opening of head posteriorly through which the cavities of head and thorax communicate.
Posterior field: of tegmina, = anal field; q.v.
Posterior intercalary: in Diptera, is one of the anal veins (Comst.).
Posterior lateral margins: in Orthoptera, extend from base of pronotum downward to the posterior angle of sides.
Posterior lobe: of the pronotum in Orthoptera, see lobe: in Diptera, that part of wing between axillary incision and base: = alar appendage (Loew). Posterior margin: = inner margin; q.v.
Posterior pereion: the meta-notum.
Posterior pleon: the terminal segments of the abdomen.
Posterior pleopoda: the anal clasping legs of caterpillars: see planta.
Posterior stigmatal tubercle: on thoracic and abdominal segments of caterpillars; varies in position from substigmatal to stigmatal posterior; sometimes united to V: it is IV of the abdomen, II of the thorax (Dyar).
Posterior trapezoidal tubercle: on the thoracic and abdominal segments of caterpillars; subdorsal, posterior, always present, rarely united with I: it is II of the abdomen, lb of the thorax (Dyar).
Posterior veins: those separating the posterior cells.
Posterior wings: = secondaries: q.v.
Postero-dorsal: Diptera; applied to leg bristles at the meeting of the dorsal and posterior face.
Postero-ventral: Diptera; applied to leg bristles at the meeting of the ventral and posterior face.
Postfurca: an internal process of metasternum to which the muscles of hind legs are attached.
Post-gena: the sclerite below occiput and behind gena in some Orthoptera.
Post-gula: is situated at the extreme base of the underside of the head in Dermaptera.
Post-humeral bristles: in Diptera, are usually two, inserted above the dorso-pleural suture between the humeral callus and root of wing, on the bottom of the presutural depression.
Postical vein: in Diptera, = 5th longitudinal (Meig.); = media 3 (Comst.).
Posticus: hinder.
Post-media: Ephemerida; an apparently distinct vein between media and Cubitus (Comst.).
Post-medial line: in Lepidoptera, = t.p. line: q.v.
Post-median: Diptera; those leg bristles situated above or behind the middle. Post-nodal cross-veins: in Odonata, the transverse veins between costa and radius 1, and radius 1 and media 1, from nodus to stigma, separating the post-nodal cells or spaces: = post-cubital cross-veins.
Post-nodal costal spaces: in Odonata, the cells below costal margin from nodus to stigma.
Post-nodal radial spaces: in Odonata, the cells between radius 1 and media 1, from nodus to outer margin.
Post-nodal sector: in Odonata, a longitudinal vein lying between media 1 and media 2 (Comst.): = ultra-nodal sector.
Post-oral: behind the mouth; those segments bearing mouth structures.
Post-pectus: the under surface of the meta-thorax.
Post-petiole: in Hymenoptera, that part of abdomen behind petiole.
Post-retinal: the fibres arising from the facets of the compound eye and extending into the ganglionic plate.
Post-scutellum: the fourth and posterior sclerite of the dorsum of the thoracic rings.
Post-sutural: in Trichoptera, the little plate behind the scutellum of mesothorax: = post-scutellum.
Poststigmatal: that portion of the marginal cell beyond the stigma in bees: = 2d radial 1 (Comst.).
Post-stigmatal primary tubercle: on thoracic segment of caterpillars; sub-primary, stigmatal, posterior; it is III of the thorax and not present on abdomen (Dyar).
Post-subterminal: following the s. t. line in Lepidoptera.
Post-sutural bristles: in Diptera, dorsal bristles behind transverse suture.
Post-terga: applied to the posterior scutes of the segments of Coleopterous larvae.
Post-triangular cells: = discoidal areolets; q.v.
Post-vertical cephalic bristles: in Diptera, are in the middle of upper part or Occiput.
Pouch: in Trichoptera, a depressed, usually longitudinal area in a wing.
Prae- or Pre-: anterior to; before.
Praebrachial: a longitudinal vein in middle of an Ephemerid wing; usually forked: no. 6 of some systems.
Praecostal spur: a false vein in costal angle at base of secondaries.
Prae-dorsum: = prophragma: q.v.
Prae-labrum: in Diptera = clypeus: q.v.
Praeocular: before the eyes.
Praeputium: the external membranous covering of penis: specifically a spherical muscular mass at base of penis in some Orthoptera.
Prae-scutellum: a sclerite, rarely present, between the meso-scutum and meso-scutellum.
Prae-scutum: the first of the four divisions of the notum of the thoracic rings.
Prae-subterminal: preceding the s.t. line in Lepidoptera.
Prae-terga: the anterior thoracic scutes in coleopterous larvae.
Prae-tornal: preceding the tornus (q.v.) in Lepidoptera.
Prasinus: grass-green [apple green].
Pratinicolous: frequenting or living in grassy meadows or bogs.
Pre-alar callus: a small swelling or projection before the root of wings, just back of outer ends of transverse suture, in Diptera.
Pre-anal: above or before the anal opening.
Pre-anal plate or lamina: = supra-anal plate; q.v.
Pre-antennal: anterior to or before the antenna.
Pre-apical: before the apex.
Pre-balancer: = pre-halter: q.v.
Pre-basilar: before the base.
Precocious stages: generally applied to all stages of development from the fertilized egg to the pupa.
Precurrent: continuous: entire: complete: said of a vein.
Predaceous: applied to insects that live by preying upon other organisms.
Predatory: = predaceous: q.v.
Pre-eruciform: before the caterpillar stage: specifically applied to the early larvae of some Proctytrypidae.
Preformation: the doctrine of growth or development from already existing rudiments; opposed to epigenesis: q.v.
Pre-furca: "the stem vein in front of a fork, that reaches back to where itself forks from another vein"; Diptera.
Pregenicular: in Orthoptera, that portion of femur proximad the knee.
Pregenicular annulus: a more or less conspicuous color ring on the caudal femora proximad the knee in Orthoptera.
Pre-halter: a membranous scale in front of the true haltere of a fly.
Prehension: structures fitted for grasping or holding.
Pre-mandibular: situated in front of the mandible: applied to a temporary segment of the embryo: = intercalary segment.
Pre-media: Ephemeridae; an apparently distinct vein between radius and media (Comst.).
Premorse: as if bitten off: with a blunt or jagged termination.
Prensor: the genital lateral clasping organ of male Lepidoptera: see clasper.
Pre-ocular: see prae-ocular.
Pre-oral: in front of the mouth: the embryonic head segments before those bearing the mouth parts.
Prepuce: =praeputium; q.v.
Pre-pupal: that stage in the larva just preceding the change to pupa.
Pre-scutellar bristles: in Diptera, are in a transverse row in front of the scutellum.
Pre-scutellar callus: = post-alar callus: q.v.
Pre-scutellar rows: in Diptera, short rows of small bristles in front of the scutellum.
Press: =filator; q.v.
Pressure plate: a structure at base of pulvillus, which exerts a pressure on the sole of the pad.
Pre-sutural bristles: in Diptera, in a trigonate depression at outer ends of transverse suture, near dorso-pleural suture.
Pre-sutural inter-alar bristle: the single bristle of the interalar series, situated before the transverse suture.
Primaries: the anterior or fore-wings.