A

aedeagus :

the part of the male genatalia that is inserted into the female during copulation and secretes the sperm

alate :

winged

apical :

at the tip of a structure

apterous :

lacking wings

arborescent :

having the size, form, or characteristics of a tree; tree-like

B

basal :

at the base of a structure

bipectinate :

feathery, with branches coming out of both sides of the main axis (generally applied to antennae)

C

carina :

a ridge or keel

carnivorous :

feeding upon other animals

coprophagous :

feeding upon fecal matter

D

deflexed :

bent or turned downward at a sharp angle

dicot :

group of flowering plants with two embryonic leaves, or cotyledons, in the seed

E

elytra :

the tough, hardened forewings of beetles (singular elytron; see also hemelytra)

eusocial :

a species that lives in a society where all individual cooperate in caring for the young, which not all of them have produced; the bulk of the colony is usually made up of sterile individuals that work to support the reproductive individuals

F

filiform :

threadlike, slender, and of nearly equal diameter throughout

frass :

the mixture of plant and fecal material left behind by many phytophagous insects

G

glabrous :

without hairs

H

haploid :

a cell or organism having half the number of a typical somatic cell's chromosomes

hemelytra :

the partially leathery (base), partially membranous (tip) forewings typical of many Hemiptera

hemimetabolous :

simple metamorphosis, lacking a true pupal stage, usually just a series of molts.

holometabolous :

with complete metamorphosis, including egg, larval, pupal, and adult phases

honeydew :

the sticky, sweet secretion produced by sap-feeding bugs

hyaline :

glassy and translucent

I

imago :

the adult stage of an insect

instar :

stage in an insect's life history between any two molts. The newly hatched insect is the first instar, and the adult (imago) is the final instar.

M

monocot :

group of flowering plants having a single cotyledon in the seed, including palms, bananas, grasses, and lilies

monocotyledonous :

(of a flowering plant) having a single cotyledon in the seed, as in palms, grasses, and lilies

mycophagous :

feeding upon fungal matter

O

ocellus :

a simple eye found in some adult insects that consists of a single, bead-like lens

P

palmate :

fan-leaved

parasitic :

living in close association with another species (host), feeding upon it while providing no benefit

parthenogenesis :

the production of offspring without mating - eggs develop normally without being fertilized

phylogenetic :

relating to or based on evolutionary history

phytophagous :

feeding upon plant matter

pinnate :

feather-leaved

prognathous :

with a more or less horizontal head with mouthparts at the front

proleg :

an unsegmented, fleshy, stumpy appendage found on the abdomen of some larvae used for walking

pronotum :

the dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment

pygidium :

the dorsal portion of the last abdominal segment

R

reticulate :

net-like

S

saprophagous :

feeding upon dead or decaying plant or animal tissue

scutellum :

the third of the major divisions of the dorsal surface of a thoracic segment; usually obvious only in the mesothorax and very large in some bugs

seta :

bristle

stigma :

an area of dark-colored scent scales located near the center of the forewing of some male Lepidoptera; useful in producting pheromones to attract females

T

tarsi :

the portion of insect legs distal to the tibia (singular tarsus)

tarsomeres :

the segments of the tarsi

U

urticating :

stinging