Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology
Chapter 5
Cusp -is: a pointed process; sometimes at the margin of a wing.
Cuspidate: prickly pointed; ending in a sharp point; with an acuminated point ending in a bristle.
Custodite -us: guarded: a body in an envelope.
Cuticle: the outer skin or skin layer.
Cuticula: = cuticle: specifically applied to the outer or chitinized layer: see epidermis and hypodermis.
Cyaneous: pure dark blue: indigo blue [French blue].
Cyanescent: with a deep bluish tinge or shading.
Cyanogenic: applied to repugnatorial glands in myriapods and sometimes in insects.
Cyathiform: obconical and concave; cup-shaped: = cupuliform.
Cyatotheca: the cover of the thorax in the pupa.
Cycle: a round or circle, e.g. of development; a life cycle.
Cyclorrhapha: that section of Diptera in which the adult escapes from the hardened pupal case by pushing off a lid or covering: see orthorrhapha. Cyclorrhaphous: circular seamed.
Cydariform: globose, but truncated at two opposite sides.
Cylindrical: in the form of a cylinder or tube; round, elongate, of equal diameter throughout.
Cymbiform: boat-shaped: a concave disc with elevated margin; navicular.
Cytoplasm: the protoplasm of a cell exclusive of nucleus; the cell body.
D
Dactylus: a finger or toe: = digitus: a tarsal joint after the first one, when that is enlarged as in bees.
Dagger mark: a marking in the form of a Greek Psi _.
Dart: a sting, or its central part.
Dash: a short disconnected streak or mark.
Dasygastres: bees with pollen-carrying structures on the abdomen.
Deaurate: of the color of gold; golden.
Deciduous: that which may be cast off or shed.
Declinate -us: a part somewhat bent, the apex downward.
Decumbent -ous: sloping gradually downward.
Decrepitans: crackling.
Decumbent: bending down at tip from an upright base.
Decurrent: closely attached to and running down another body.
Decurved: bowed downward.
Decussate: crossing at an angle: X-like: in cross pairs; or, when bristles alternately cross each other, as in some Diptera.
Deflected: bent downward: the wings, when the inner margins lap and the outer edges decline toward the sides.
Deflexed: abruptly bent downward.
Deformed: twisted or set in an unusual form: specifically, in Coleoptera applied to knotted or twisted antennae as in male Meloids.
Dehiscence: the splitting of the pupal integument in the emergence of the adult in Lepidoptera.
Dehiscent: open or standing open: separating toward the tip.
Dejectamenta: the excrement or excretion.
Delamination: the splitting or division into layers.
Deltoid: elongate triangular: resembling a Greek _ with apex extended.
Demarcation: the bounding, laying out or limiting.
Dendritic: applied to the branched nerve cells in the mushroom bodies of the pro-cerebrum.
Dendroid: tree or shrub-like: branching like a tree or shrub.
Dendrophagus: feeding on woody tissues.
Dendrophilous: species that live in woody tissue, or on trees.
Dens: a tooth or tooth-like process.
Dense: thickly crowded together.
Dentate: toothed: with acute teeth, the sides of which are equal and the tip is above the middle of base.
Dentate-serrate: toothed, with the dentations themselves serrated on their edges.
Dentate-sinuate: toothed and indented.
Dentes: the teeth or pointed processes on the inner side of the mandible: the second or middle part of the furcula in Collembola, consisting of two parallel pieces from the distal end of the manubrium and bearing at their apices the crones.
Dentes caninae: see canine teeth.
Denticle: a small tooth.
Denticulated: set with little teeth or notches.
Dentiform: formed or appearing like a tooth.
Denudate: without covering; destitute of scales or hair.
Denude: to free from covering; to rub so as to remove the surface covering of scales, hair or other vestiture.
Deorsum: downward.
Dependent: hanging down.
Deplanate -us: see complanate.
Depressed: flattened down vertically; opposed to compressed.
Depressor: applied to a muscle that has for its function the depression of an organ or a part.
Deratoptera: = Orthoptera.
Dermal: relating to the skin or outer covering.
Dermal glands: hypodermal unicellular glands which secrete wax, setae, spines, etc.
Dermaptera: see Dermatoptera.
Dermatoptera: skin-winged: an ordinal term applied to insects with elytriform, abbreviated primaries beneath which the secondaries are folded transversely and fan-like: mouth mandibulate, prothorax free; abdomen forcipate; metamorphosis incomplete: the Forficulidae or earwigs.
Desectus: = truncatus.
Desideratum -ata: some thing or things needed or desired.
Destitutus: wanting; being without.
Determinate: with well-defined outlines or distinct limits: fixed: marked out.
Detonans: exploding: a sudden noise or a puff like an explosion.
Detritus: rubbed off; a surface partly denuded.
Deuterotoky: parthenogenetic reproduction when the progeny are male and female: see arrhenotoky and thelyotoky.
Deutocerebral segment: =antennal segment; q.v.
Deutocerebrum: the middle portion of the brain, formed by the ganglion of the 2d primary segment; also termed antennal or olfactory lobes from the parts it innervates.
Deutoplasm: the yolk or food plasm of an ovum.
Deutotergite: the secondary dorsal segment of the abdomen.
Dextrad: extending or directed toward the right.
Dextral: to the right of the median line.
Dextro-caudad: extends obliquely between dextrad and caudad.
Dextro-cephalad: extends obliquely between dextrad and cephalad.
Di: as a prefix, = two.
Diaphanous: semi-transparent; clear.
Diaphragm: any thin dividing membrane; that thin membrane separating the cavity containing the heart from the rest of the body.
Diarthrosis: any articulation that permits of motion.
Diastole: that regular expansion of the heart that draws the blood inward: see systole.
Dichaetae: a group of brachycerous Diptera with a proboscis consisting of two parts: Muscids, etc.
Dichoptic: Diptera; eyes separated by front: not contiguous: see holoptic.
Dichotomous: forked: dividing by pairs.
Dichromatism: the possession of two color varieties.
Dictyoptera: an ordinal term applied to the roaches: also more generally, to the Orthoptera. {Scanner's comment: Roaches are now classed as Dictyoptera, and Orthoptera are now classed as distinct from Dictyoptera}
Didactyle -us: two-toed: with two tarsi of equal length.
Didymus: double: geminate.
Difformis: irregular in form or outline: not comparable; anomalous. Diffracted: bending in different directions.
Diffuse: spreading out; without distinct edge or margin.
Digestive tract: the alimentary canal as a whole: more specifically that portion behind the crop, in which assimilation takes place.
Digitate: finger-like, or divided into finger-like processes.
Digitiform: formed, shaped like or having the function of a finger.
Digitules: appendages on the feet of Coccidae; in Lecanium, four knobbed hairs.
Digitus: the terminal joint of the tarsus, bearing the claws: a small appendage attached to the lacinia of the maxilla; rarely present and probably tactile.
Digoneutism: the power to produce two broods in one season.
Dilatatus: Coleoptera a margin, when the sharp marginal edge extends beyond its usual limit: the base when the transverse diameter is much longer at one part.
Dilated: widened, expanded.
Dilation: an expansion or widening.
Dilute: thinned out: applied to color means weak or pale.
Dilution: much thinned out or diluted.
Dimera: forms with two-jointed tarsi: specifically applied to some groups of Homoptera.
Dimerous: having only two tarsal joints.
Dimidiate -us: halved; extending half way around; applied to elytra when they cover only half the abdomen.
Dimidius: of half length.
Dimorphic: occurring in two well-marked forms.
Dimorphism: a difference in form, color, etc, between individuals of the same species, characterizing two distinct types: may be seasonal, sexual or geographic.
Dioecious: with distinct sexes.
Dioptrate: an ocellate spot with the pupil divided by a transverse line.
Dioptric: with a transversely divided ocellus.
Diploglossata: an ordinal term proposed for Hemimeridae, because of the supposed presence of a second labial segment.
Diplogangliata: applied to the Arthropods.
Diploptera: = diplopteryga; q.v.
Diplopteryga: Hymenoptera; wasps in which the wings are longitudinally folded when at rest.
Dipneumones: having two lungs (certain spiders).
Diptera: an ordinal term applied to insects having only one pair of wings (anterior): thorax agglutinate; mouth haustellate; transformations complete.
Dipterocecidium: a gall formed by a dipterous insect.
Dipterous: belonging to or having the characters of Diptera.
Direct: applied to metamorphosis = incomplete.
Directive coloration: directive marks or colors which tend to divert the attention of an enemy from more vital parts.
Disc: see disk.
Discal: on or relating to the disc of any surface or structure.
Discal area: of a wing applies especially to the more central portion, or that area covered by the discal cell.
Discal bristles: Diptera; are inserted on the middle of the abdominal segments before the hind margin.
Discal cell: Lepidoptera; the large or median cell extending from the base of the wing toward the center: = radial cell (Comst.): in Diptera (Will.) = 1st medial 2 (Comst.): Odonata; = discoidal areolets, q.v.: Trichoptera, the cell between the forks of the radial sector, and separated from the 2d apical cell by a cross-vein.
Discal patch: in some male Hesperidae the oblique streak of specialized black scales on the disc of the primaries.
Discal vein: Lepidoptera; the cross-vein closing the discal or median cell extends from radius 5 to media 1.
Disciform: formed or shaped like a disc.
Discocellular nervure or vein: Lepidoptera; = discal vein, q.v.
Discoidal: relating to the disc, or middle = discal.
Discoidal area: the middle area or field: Trichoptera; that area of the tegmina between the posterior or anal and the anterior or costal areas = d. field.
Discoidal areolets: Odonata; a varying number of rows of cells on the outer side of the triangle between the short sector (M 4 of Comst.) and the upper sector of the triangle (Cu 1 of Comst.) = post-triangular cells := discal cells.
Discoidal cell: Hymenoptera (Norton) 1st medial 2, medial 3 and medial 4 (Comst.).
Discoidal field: see discoidal area.
Discoidal nervule: Lepidoptera; = media 1 (Comst.).
Discoidal triangle: Odonata - see triangle.
Discoidal vein: Diptera (Schiner), = media 2 (Comst.) anterior intercalary vein (Loew); Hymenopteran (Norton), = media 2 (Comst.), beyond the junction with the medial cross-vein: Trichoptera; the first and largest branch of the humeral vein.
Discoideous: =discoidal.
Discolored -orous: a different color from the surrounding, more or less contrasting; not concolorous.
Discota: insects in which development of the adults is from imaginal discs: see adiscota.
Discrete: distinctly separated.
Discs: the abdominal motor processes of coleopterous larve.
Discus: a disc; a somewhat flat circular part or area.
Disjoined or Disjointed: see disjunctus.
Disjunct: with head, thorax and abdomen separated by constrictions.
Disjunctus: separated; standing apart.
Disk: the central upper surface of any part; all the area within a margin; the central area of a wing: in Trichoptera, the obliquely ridged outer surface of hind femur in saltatoria.
Dislocated: a stria, band or line interrupted in continuity, when the tips of the interrupted parts are not in a right line with each other.
Disperses: with scattered markings, punctures or other small sculptures.
Disposed: arranged or laid out.
Dissepiment: a partition wall: applied to the forming septa separating the coelom-sacs in the embryo; also the thin envelope about the members in obtect pupae.
Dissilient: bursting open elastically.
Distad: toward the distal end.
Distal: that part of a joint farthest from the body.
Distant: remote from: standing considerably apart.
Distichous: applied to antennae when lateral processes originate at the apices of the joints and bend forward at acute angles to them.
Distiproboscis: the outer third of the proboscis in Muscid flies, bearing the labella.
Distychus: bipartite: separated into two parts.
Ditrocha: Hymenoptera; that series having the trochanter two-jointed.
Diurnae: day fliers: applied to butterflies.
Diurnal: such insects as are active or habitually fly by day only.
Divaricable: able to spread apart or divaricate.
Divaricate: straddling or spreading apart: when the wings are lapped at base and diverge behind: tarsal claws when arising at opposite sides of the joint and separating widely.
Divergent: spreading out from a common base; in Coleoptera, tarsal claws are divergent when they spread out only a little; divaricate when they separate widely.
Diverse: unequal: differing in size or shape: of various kinds.
Diverticulum -la: an oft-shoot from a vessel or from the alimentary canal usually blind or sac-like: applied to the caecal tubes or pouches: any extensions or evaginations of the hypodermic.
Dividens (vena): Trichoptera; 1st anal (Comst.).
Dog-ear marks: in bees: small, subtriangular marks of light color, just below the antennae (Cockerell).
Dolabriform: hatchet-shaped: compressed, with a prominent dilated keel and cylindrical base.
Dolioloides: applied to obtect or coarctate pupae.
Dominant: a character more constant and conspicuous than any other: a type or series occurring in large numbers both as to genera, species and individuals and in which differentiation is yet active.
Dorsad: extending or directed toward the upper side.
Dorsal: of or belonging to the upper surface: in Diptera, that face of the laterally extended legs visible from above.
Dorsal bristles: see dorso-central.
Dorsal diaphragm: the wings of the heart, or the very thin membrane upon which these muscles rest: = pericardial diaphragm, q.v.
Dorsal gland orifices: in Diaspinae, oval orifices arranged in more or less distinct rows on the surface of the pygidium, through which is discharged the material of which the dorsal scale is formed.
Dorsal glands: see last preceding title.
Dorsal line: in caterpillars, extends longitudinally on the middle of the back or dorsal.
Dorsal scale: that part of the covering scale of the Diaspinae that lies above the insect, as opposed to the ventral scale, which lies below.
Dorsal space: in slug-caterpillars is the area between the sub-dorsal ridges.
Dorsal vessel: the heart; q.v.
Dorsi-meson: the middle of the upper surface.
Dorso-alar region: Diptera; between the transverse suture and the scutellum on one side and the root of the wing and the dorso-central region on the other.
Dorso-central bristles: Diptera; two or four longitudinal rows on the inner part of the dorsal.
Dorso-central region: Diptera; bounded by two imaginary lines drawn from the scutellar bridges forward, and coinciding with a space free from bristles that exists on the outer side of the dorsal rows and is often occupied by a dorsal thoracic stripe.
Dorso-humeral region: Diptera; bounded by the anterior end of thorax and transverse suture on two sides and by the dorsopleural suture and dorsocentral region on the two others.
Dorsolum: the mesoscutum.
Dorsopleural suture: Diptera; the lateral suture between dorsal and pleurum from the humeri through the base of the wing: separates the mesonotum from the pleura.
Dorso-ventral: in a line from the upper to the lower surface.
Dorsulum: the mesonotum before the scutellum, with the wing sockets: also, specifically, the meso-scutellum.
Dorsum: the upper surface: in Coleoptera; often confined to meso- and meta-thorax: Odonata; includes mesepisterna and meso- and meta-thoracic terga: Diptera; upper surface of thorax, limited by the dorsopleural sutures laterally, the scutellum posteriorly and the neck anteriorly: Lepidoptera; the lower or inner margin of the wing.
Draw-thread: the silk-producing gland.
Drone: in Hymenoptera; the male bee.
Duct: a channel, tube or canal for carrying a secretion from a gland to the point of discharge.
Ductus ejaculatorius: the single duct or tube formed by the union of the vasa deferentia from each side, through which the seminal fluid is ejected into the vagina.
Dufour's gland: that gland, in Hymenoptera, that secretes the alkaline portion of the poison carried by the sting.
Duodenum: the chylific ventricle; also applied to the first section of the digestive tract just behind entrance of malpighian tubules.
Dupion: a cocoon spun by two silk-worms together; also the coarse silk from such a cocoon.
Duplicate -us: double.
Duplicate-pectinate: having the branches of a bipectinated antenna alternately long and short.
Duple: double, or twice.
Durus: hard.
Dusky: somewhat darkened; pale fuscous.
E
E: as prefix, is privative and means without.
Ears: organs of hearing, as on the first tibiae or on the first abdominal segment of some Trichoptera.
Ebenine: black like ebony.
Eburneous: ivory white.
Ecalcaratus: without a spur.
Ecaudate: without tails or tail-like processes: usually applied to wings : = excaudate.
Ecdysis: the process of casting the skin; moulting.
Echinate: set with prickles.
Ecology: the science of the relation of organisms to each other and to their surroundings: = ethology. {Scanner's comment: Ethology nowadays refers to studies in animal behaviour, not directly to ecology.}
Ectad: extending outwardly from within.
Ectal: belonging or relating to the outer surface.
Ectoblast: the outer wall of a cell; the ectoderm or epiblast.
Ectoderm: the outer layer of skin: the outer layer of the blastoderm, giving rise to the nervous system and to epithelial structures of the body surface.
Ectognathus: see ectotrophous.
Ectoskeletal: referring to the outside or exoskeleton.
Ectotrachea: the outer surface or layer of the trachea.
Ectotrophous: with mouth parts free; not buried in the head: see entrotrophus.
Edematus: dull translucent white.
Edentate -ulous: without teeth.
Edentula: those having no teeth.
Efferent: carrying outward or away from the centre.
Effluvium: a foul or unpleasant smell or emanation.
Effected: somewhat angularly bent outward.
Egg: a simple cell, capable of fertilization, containing the germ, the food-yolk necessary for its nutriment, and a covering membrane: a single ovum or cell from an ovary: the first stage of the insect.
Egg-burster: a projecting point on the head or other part of an embryo, used in breaking the shell when hatching.
Egg-calyx: the enlarged portion of the oviduct at the opening of the ovarian tubes, into which the egg is received before its entrance into the vagina.
Egg-case: the case or covering prepared or secreted by an insect to contain or hold together the egg-mass as a whole: see oötheca.
Egg-guide: Orthoptera; two small pointed prolongations of the ventral portion of the 8th abdominal segment, between upper and lower valves, used in oviposition.
Egg-pouch: see oötheca.
Egg-pod: applied to the egg-mass of grasshoppers.
Egg-tube: see ovarian tube.
Ejaculatory duct: see ductus ejaculatorius.
Elastic: a part which has a degree of flexibility throughout.
Elate -us: see elevatus.
Elater: the spring or forked tail of Podurids.
Eleutherata: all forms with free, separated maxillae; later, and more specifically, the Coleoptera.
Elevate -us: a part higher than its surroundings.
Elinguata: without a tongue: forms in which the maxillae are connate with the labium: see synista.
Ellipsoidal: see elliptical.
Elliptical: oblong-oval, the ends equally rounded, together forming an even ellipsoid.
Elongata -ate: drawn out; lengthened; much longer than wide.
Elutus: with scarcely distinct markings.
Elytra: the anterior leathery or chitinous wings of beetles, serving as coverings to the secondaries, commonly meeting in a straight line down the middle of dorsum in repose: also applied to the tegmina in Orthoptera.
Elytral ligula: a tongue-like process on the inner face of the side margin of elytra, to perfect the union with the ventral segments: e.g. in Dytiscidae.
Elytriform: shaped or appearing like an elytron.
Elytrin: = chitin, q.v.
Elytron: singular of elytra; q.v.
Elytroptera: see Coleoptera.
Emandibulata: that series of insects in which there are no functional mandibles in any stage.
Emandibulate: lacking functional mandibles; e.g. butterflies and moths, and applied in any stage.
Emarginate: notched: with an obtuse, rounded or quadrate section cut from a margin.
Embolium: Heteroptera; the narrow sclerite extending along the anterior margin of the hemelytra, from base to cuneus or membrane: the lobes on each side of the prothorax: the special enlargement at the base of the primaries which fits into a cavity in which the wing is moved.
Embossed: ornamented with raised figures.
Embryo: the young animal before leaving the body of the parent or before emerging from the egg.
Embryonic: found in, or relating to the embryo; in an undeveloped state or condition.
Emmet: an ant.
Empodium: Diptera; the small process between the pulvilli: in Coleoptera; the bifid pseudotarsi between the claws: used also as = pulvillus; and see arolium, onychium, palmula, paronychium, plantula, pseudonychium and pulvillus.
Enarthrosis: an articulation like a ball and socket joint.
Encephalon -um: the brain, or that part of the head containing it.
Encircled: ringed; margined round about.
Endemic: occurring normally where found: native, not introduced.
Endocardium: the inner lining membrane of the heart.
Endochorium: the layer of the allantois that lines the chorium; the inner layer of the chorium.
Endocranium: the inner surface of the cranium.
Endoderm: the inner layer of the blastoderm in the embryo, giving origin to the mid-intestine and other visceral organs: see entoderm.
Endolabium: the inner or mouth surface of the labium: the hypopharynx when that is well developed.
Endomesoderm: the inner layer formed by an invagination of the middle portion of the primitive band of the embryo, and from which the endoderm and mesoderm are subsequently differentiated.
Endophytic: living within plant or tree tissue, as borers or miners.
Endoskeletal: relating or referring to the endoskeleton.
Endoskeleton: applied to those chitinous processes extending inward into the body cavity from the body wall and serving as attachments for muscles.
Endosternite: that part of the apodeme arising from the intersternal membrane.
Endothorax: the internal framework or processes of the thorax.
Endotoky: is applied to that form of reproduction where the eggs are developed within the body of the mother; see exotoky.
Endotrachea: the inner surface or lining of the trachea: see intima.
Enervis: applied to wings without veins of any kind.
Engraved: see exsculptus.
Ensiform: sword-shaped: two-edged, large at base and tapering to the point: see anceps.
Entad: extending inwardly from without.
Ental: referring to the centre of the body cavity.
Enteric: relating to the digestive canal or enteron.
Enteron: the digestive canal as a whole; a general term.
Entire: with an even unbroken margin: said of wings when they are not divided or cut into.
Entoderm: the innermost germ layer of the embryo, from which are derived the epithelium of the alimentary canal and accessory structures: = endoderm and hypoblast.
Entognathous: see entotrophous.
Entoloma: the inner margin of the wings.
Entomogenous: growing in or on an insect: e.g. fungi.
Entomography: the description of an insect or of its life history.
Entomolin: = chitin, q.v.
Entomologist: one who collects and studies insects.
Entomology: that branch of Zoology that deals with insects and, specifically, the Hexapods.
Entomophagous: feeding upon insects: specifically applied to those wasps that feed their young with larvae, etc.