of a thin, pliable texture.
Membrana retinens: the stretched part of the membrane around the
rectum of butterfly larvae, used in the change to the chrysalis.
Membrane -ana: any thin, transparent, flexible body tissue:
specifically the wing tissue between the veins: in Heteroptera, the thin
membranous tip of the hemelytra.
Membranous or eous: composed of membrane or skin-like tissue.
Membranule: the small opaque expansion at base of wings in
Odonata.
Meniscoidal: with one side concave the other convex, like a round
segment from a hollow sphere.
Menognatha: insects in which both young and adults feed by
mandibles; e.g. the Orthoptera: see menorhyncha and metagnatha.
Menorhyncha: forms in which both young and adult take food by
suction e.g. Hemiptera: see metognatha and metagnatha.
Mental suture: in Coleoptera, the line between mentum and gula.
Mentigerous: bearing or having a mentum.
Mentum: a labial sclerite bearing the movable parts; attached to and
sometimes fused with the sub-mentum; corresponds to the (united)
stipes of maxillae: in Coleoptera, what is usually called mentum is
really submentum: in Diptera, the term is applied to the posterior oral
margin: in Hymenoptera, is part of "tongue," the second joint bearing
the labial palpi, paraglossae and ligula.
Merdivorous: feeding upon dung or excrement: see scatophagous.
Meriaeum: the posterior inflected part of the metasternum in
Coleoptera.
Meroistic: ovaries that secrete yolk or vitellaginous cells as well as ova.
Mesad: extending or directed toward the median plane.
Mesal: pertaining to, situated on or in the median plane of the body.
Mesenchym: that portion of the mesoderm that produces the
connective tissues of the body.
Mesenteron: the mid-gut, stomach or chylific ventricle: the middle
portion of the primitive intestinal canal, lined with entoderm.
Mesepimeron: in Odonata: the sclerite between humeral and first
lateral suture.
Mesepisterna: in Odonata,- the oblique lateral pieces of mesothorax,
meeting dorsally in a ridge.
Mesially: at or to the middle.
Mesinfraepisternum: a sclerite formed between propleuron,
mesepisternum, mesepimeron and second coxa.
Meso: middle: as prefix, drops the o when stem begins with a vowel.
Mesoblast: the middles germ layer of the embryos: = mesoderm.
Mesoderm:= mesoblast: gives rise to muscular and circulatory
systems.
Mesodont::= amphiodont: q.v.
Mesomeros: the 2d to 5th abdominal segments in Lepidoptera.
Meson: the middle plane of the body.
Mesonotum: the primitively upper surface of the 2d or middle thoracic
ring.
Mesophragma: an internal prolongation of the metapraescutum,
affording attachment to some of the wing muscles.
Mesopleura: in Diptera, the space before the root of the wing between
the dorso- and sternopleural sutures: in Hymenoptera, the piece
below the insertion of the wings.
Mesopleural bristles: in Diptera, are inserted in the angle formed by
the dorso-pleural and meso-pleural sutures.
Mesopleural suture: in Diptera, runs from the root of the wings
downward and separates the meso-pleura from the pteropleura.
Mesopleuron: the lateral surface of the meta-thorax.
Mesosternal cavity: in Elateridae, the opening into which the
prosternal spine or mucro is fitted.
Mesosternal epimera: in Coleoptera; the narrow pieces separating the
meta-sternal from the meta-sternal episterna.
Mesosternal episterna: Coleoptera; on each side of mesosternum
between anterior border and epimera; generally separated by a
distinct suture.
Mesosternal lobes: in Orthoptera; = mesosternellum, q.v.
Mesosternellum: in Orthoptera, two median lobes of the mesosternum,
one on each side of the deep median notch: in general,
the sternellum of the mesothorax.
Mesosternum: the underside or breast of the meta-thorax.
Mesostethidium: = meso-thorax: q.v.
Mesostethium: the middle piece of the underside of meta-thorax,
between the middle and hind legs.
Mesostigma: in Odonata, the spiracles of second thoracic segment.
Mesosulcus: a central longitudinal furrow of mesosternum in
Hymenoptera.
Mesotarsus: the tarsus of the middle leg.
Mesothoracotheca: the pupal covering of the meso-thorax.
Mesothorax: the second or middle thoracic ring; bears the middle legs
and the anterior wings.
Mesotergum: = mesonotum; q.v.
Meta-: posterior: used as a prefix to designate the third thoracic ring
and its parts.
Metablastic: relating to the ecto- or meta-blast or ectoderm.
Metabola: insects with a complete metamorphosis in which the larva
does not resemble the adult, and the pupa is quiescent.
Metabolism: is transformation: the whole process or series of changes
of food into tissue and cell-substance and of these latter into waste
products the first of these changes being anabolic, the second
katabolic.
Metabolous: undergoing metamorphosis or transformation.
Metacoxal plate: in Coccinellidae, that portion of the first ventral
segment included above the ventral lines visible on that segment.
Metagnatha: insects which feed with jaws when young and by suction,
with tubular mouths when mature; e.g. the Lepidoptera: see
menognatha and menorhyncha.
Metagonia: the hind or anal angle of a wing.
Metallic: having the appearance of metal: applied to a surface or color.
Metaloma: the sutural or inner margin of primaries.
Metamere: a segment, somite or athromere.
Metameric: made up of segments or metameres.
Metamerism: the arrangement in metameres.
Metameros: in Lepidoptera. the 6th to 8th abdominal segments.
Metamorphosis: is that series of changes through which an insect
passes in its growth from egg through larva and pupa to adult: it is
complete when the pupa is inactive and does not feed; incomplete
when there is no pupa or when the pupa is active and feeds.
Metamorphosis dimidio: an incomplete transformation.
Metamorphosis perfecta: a complete transformation.
Metanotum: the primitively upper surface of the third or posterior
thoracic ring: in Diptera, the oval arched portion behind, beneath
the scutellum best developed in flies with long, slender abdomen:
e.g. Tipulidae.
Metaphragma: the hindmost internal thoracic septum.
Metapleura: in Diptera, a swollen space at the outside of the
metanotum, between it, the pteropleura and the hypopleura; in
Hymenoptera, the piece behind and below the insertion of the hind
wings.
Metapleural bristles: in Diptera, are inserted in the metapleura.
Metapneustic: larva, chiefly dipterous, in which the spiracles are
confined to the posterior segment.
Metapnystega: that circular area of metanotum behind the
postscutellum.
Metapodeon: the abdomen behind the podeon or petiole in
Hymenoptera.
Metasternal: relating or attached to the metasternum.
Metasternal epimera: small sclerite separating the metasternal
episterna from the ventral segments.
Metasternal episterna: sclerite situated on each side of the
Metasternum, immediately behind the mesosternum epimera.
Metasternellum: the sternellum of the metathorax.
Metasternum: the underside or breast of the metathorax.
Meta-stethidium: = meta-thorax; q.v.
Metastigma: in Odonata, the spiracles of third thoracic segment.
Metastoma: in Orthoptera:= hypopharynx: q.v.
Metatarsus: applied to basal joint of tarsus, where that differs greatly
in length or otherwise from the other joints: see sarothrum.
Metatergum: = metanotum; q.v.
Metathoracotheca: the pupal covering of the meta-thorax.
Metathorax: the third thoracic ring or segment; bears the hind legs
and second pair of wings; variably distinct; sometimes closely united
with the mesothorax and sometimes appearing as a portion of the
abdomen.
Metatype: is a specimen named by the author after comparison with
the type; according to some, it should be also a topotype.
Metazona: in Orthoptera, the dorsal surface of the prothorax behind
the principal sulcus.
Metepimeron: in Odonata, lies behind the second lateral suture and
extends ventrally to the sternum.
Metepisternum: in Odonata, is the sclerite between the first and
second lateral thoracic sutures.
Meter: the standard of length in the metric system = 39.37 inches:
see centimeter and millimeter.
Meticulose -us: is a maculation in the form of a series of colored
flames.
Metinfraepisternum: in Odonata; the sclerite just above base of 3d
coxa; below metepisternum and before metepimeron.
Metochy: the relation borne to ants by the tolerated guests in
ant-hills; demanding nothing from and giving nothing to the ants; see
symphily and synecthry.
Metopidium: the anterior declivous surface of prothorax in
Membracidae.
Micans: shining: also a surface of which only parts are shining.
Microchaetae: small bristles, as opposed to macrochaetae, in Diptera.
Microergates: the dwarf workers among ants.
Micron: the unit of microscopic measurement = 001 mm.: represented
by the symbol µ: the symbol µµ represents .001 of a micron.
{Scanner's note: the µµ notation would no longer be valid.}
Micropterous: small winged.
Micropterism: the tendency to produce small wings; applied to a line
of variation.
Micropyles: minute openings in the egg, through which spermatozoa
enter.
Microsomites: small secondary rings or somites of the macrosomites
in the embryo, which afterward become the body segments.
Microthorax: a supposed thoracic ring between the head and
prothorax.
Middle apical area: = internal area; q.v.
Middle field: = discoidal field; q.v.
Middle lobes: of pronotum in Orthoptera; see lobes.
Middle pleural area: in Hymenoptera; the median of the three areas
between lateral and pleural carinae: = 2d pleural area.
Mid-dorsal thoracic Carina: a ridge or elevated line at the meeting of
the mesepisterna in Odonata.
Mid-gut: the chylific ventricle with the caecal glands, tubes or
pouches.
Mid-intestine: = mid-gut.
Migrants: applied to that brood of plant lice which flies from one to an
alternate food plant: any forms that fly from the place where they
were born for food or other purposes.
MM.: = Millimeter: .001 meter = .039 of an inch: roughly 25 mm. are
counted to an inch in measuring insects. {Scanner's comment: modern
usage is lower case. So: mm.}
Mimetic: when a species mimics or resembles another or some other
object in appearance; but not in structure and other characters.
Mimicry: strictly, the resemblance of one animal to another not closely
related animal, living in the same locality; often loosely used to
denote also resemblance to plants and inanimate objects: Batesian
mimicry is where one of two similar species is distasteful (so-called
model), the other not distasteful (so-called mimic);
Müllerian mimicry is where both species are distasteful.
Mines: applied to galleries or burrows between upper and under
surface of leaf tissue, when made by larvae: they are linear, when they
are narrow and only a little winding; serpentine, when they are curved
or coiled, becoming gradually larger to a head-like end: trumpet-mines,
when they start small and enlarge rapidly at tip; blotch mines,
when they are irregular blotches tentiform, when the blotch mines
throw the leaf into a fold on one side.
Miniate -us: of the color of red lead [vermilion with a slight admixture
of dragon's blood].
Mirror: in Cicada; see specular membrane.
Mitosoma: the middle piece of a developing spermatozoon.
Mobile: movable: having the power of motion.
Model: see mimicry.
Modioliform: globular, truncated at both ends; like the hub of a wheel.
Mola or Molar: the ridged or roughened grinding surface of the
mandible: when the mandible is compound, the molar corresponds to
the subgalea of maxilla.
Monarsenous: that kind of union where one male suffices for many
females.
Moniliform: beaded like a necklace.
Monochromatic: of one color throughout.
Monodactyle: with a single movable claw which closes on the tip of the
other leg structures as in some parasitica.
Monodomous: ants in which each colony has one nest only.
Monoecious: when both sexual elements or glands exist in one
individual.
Monogamous: a union where a female is fertilized by one male only.
Monomeri: insects with one-jointed tarsi.
Monomorphic: species of which only one sex (female) is known to
exist.
Monophagous: insects feeding upon only one species or genus of
plants.
Monothelious: a union where one female is fecundated by many
males.
Monotrocha -ous: Hymenoptera in which the trochanters are single:
having legs in which the trochanter is one-jointed.
Monotypical: a genus described from a single species, no other being
known; or described from a single specified species with which are
associated others believed to be identical in structure: see isotypical
and heterotypical.
Moult: a period in the transformation when the larva changes from
one instar to another: the cast skin of a larva that has moulted.
Mouth: the anterior opening into the alimentary canal, where the
feeding structures are situated and in which the food is prepared for
ingestion.
Mouth-parts: a collective name including labrum, mandibles,
maxillae, labium and appendages = trophi.
Mucoreus: mouldy: a surface covered with small, fringe-like processes.
Mucro: a long, straight or curved process terminating in a point: the
pro-sternal process in Elateridae: the terminal spine or process of an
obtect pupa: "the median posterior point of the epigastrium when
differentiated by elevation."
Mucronate: terminated in a sharp point.
Mucrones: in Collembola the two small end pieces of the furcula,
proceeding from the dentes.
Mullerian association: a group of species belonging to different genera,
often different families or even orders, having similar colors,
possessing more or less distasteful qualities and living in the same
locality.
Muller's thread: the common terminal thread of all the ovarian tubes.
Multangulate: with many angles.
Multi-: many; used as a prefix, often without the i.
Multiarticulate: with many joints or segments.
Multilocular: with many large cells, spaces or cavities.
Multipartite: divided into many parts.
Multiplicate: with many longitudinal folds or lines of plication.
Multispinose: with many spines.
Mumia: the pupa.
Munite -us: armed; provided with an armature.
Muricate -us: armed with sharp, rigid points.
Murinus: mouse colored [gray with some yellow].
Mushroom bodies: two stalked, mushroom-like bodies arising from
procerebral lobes; supposed to be the seat of insect intelligence.
Muscle: the fleshy fibres of the insect body that serve to move the
appendages and other body organs.
Mute: silent: without power to produce audible sound.
Mutic -us: unarmed: lacking processes where such usually occur.
Mutici: Acridiids without a posternal spines.
Mutilate -us: cut off: mutilated: abbreviated: not complete.
Mycetophagous: feeding upon fungi.
Myiasis: disease or injury caused by the attack of dipterous larvae.
Myoblast: a cell that produces muscular tissue.
Myrmecology: that branch of entomology that deals with ants.
Myrmecophilous: ant-loving: applied to insects that live in ant nests.
Mystacine -us: bcarded: with a hairy fringe above mouth or on
clypeus.
Mystax: in Diptera; a patch of hair or bristles above the mouth, on the
lower part of the hypostoma above the vibrissae.
Mytiliform: shell-like; as the middle feet in some aquatic Hemiptera.
N
Nacreous: pearly: resembling mother of pearl := margaritaceous.
Nail: a tarsal claw: specifically the stout pointed claws in predatory
Heteroptera = unguis.
Naked: not clothed: lacking vestiture: a pupa when not inclosed in a
cocoon or other covering.
Nasal suture: =clypeal suture; q.v.
Nasus: anterior termination of the face in certain Hymenoptera: the
clypeus or a modification of it: in Odonata, the upper portion of the
clypeus = supra-clypeus = postclypeus.
Nasuti: that type of termite soldiers that have the head prolonged into
a point.
Natatorial -ions: formed for swimming.
Navicular: boat-shaped = cymbiform.
Neanic: referring to the pupal stage.
Nearctic: temperate and arctic North America, including Greenland.
Nebula: a cloud: a vague, indefined, dusky shading.
Nebulous -ose: cloudy: without definite form or outline.
Neck: the slender connecting structure between head and thorax of
such insects as have the head free: any contraction of the head at its
juncture with the thorax.
Necrophagous: living in or on carrion.
Nectaries: honey-tubes, cornicles, siphuncles; q.v.
Nematid: thread-like.
Nematocera: = nemocera; q. A.
Nematocerous: with long, thread-like antenna.
Nemocera: Diptera with long, at least six-jointed antennae.
Nemoglossata: bees with a thread-like tongue.
Nemoricolous: living in open, sunny woods.
Neogeic: belonging to the Western Hemisphere or New World: see
gerontogeic.
Neolepidoptera: all haustellate Lepidoptera, except the generalized
Micropterygidae; mandibles not functionally present; pupa incomplete
or obtect: see paleolepidoptera and protolepidoptera.
Neoteinic: applied to complemental females in Termites because,
though reproductive, they retain some juvenile characters.
Neotropical: that part of the earth's surface embraced in the greater
part of Mexico, West Indies and South America.
Neotype: a specimen identified with a species already described, and
selected as a standard of reference where the original type or co-types
are lost or destroyed.
Nephridia: tubular structures functioning as kidneys in Annelids,
Mollusks, etc. and incorrectly used as = malpighian tubules; q.v.
Nepionic: that stage of development immediately succeeding the
embryonic; proposed as a substitute for larval.
Nerinaeum: a ventral thoracic sclerite between the metasternum and
posterior coxa in some Coleoptera.
Nerve: a thread-like structure, composed of delicate filaments whose
function it is to transmit sensations or stimuli to or from a ganglion or
from or to any part of the body or its appendages.
Nerves: sometimes used to = veins, in wing structures.
Nervi: belonging or referring to the nerves.
Nervulation: arrangement of the nerves: specifically applied to the
arrangement of the chitinous framework of wings and thus= venation;
q.v. Nervules or Nervures: the rod or vein-like structures supporting
the membranes of wings and = veins and veinlets; q.v.
Nervuration: = nervulation and venation: q.v.
Neural canal: an incomplete tunnel on the floor of meso- and
metathorax, formed by fusion of apodemes, serving for the reception
and protection of the ventral nerve cord and for the attachment of
muscles.
Neural groove: is that furrow in the primitive layer of the embryo in
which the nerve cord is formed.
Neuration: = venation; q.v.
Neurilemma: the external sheath of a nerve fibre.
Neuroblast: the large cell in the early embryo, from which the nervous
system develops.
Neuromere: that part of a body segment pertaining to the nervous
system.
Neuroptera: nerve-winged: an ordinal term applied to insects with four
net-veined wings; mouth mandibulate: head free: thorax loosely
agglutinated; metamorphosis complete: in its older use, the term
applied to all net-veined insects irrespective of metamorphosis or
thoracic structure.
Neuropteroidea: like the Neuroptera in the wide sense; applied to
those living insects included by Linnaeus in his Neuroptera; also to
those extinct forms which have a general resemblance to them.
Neurospongium: a granular matrix in the periopticon of the insect eye.
Neuter: the term applied to workers or undeveloped females in some
Hymenoptera: indicated by * or *, an imperfect form of Venus
sign.{Scanner's comment: I have no characters to represent the
symbols. One is like the normal female (Venus) sign, but with no
cross stroke on the downward stroke. The other is the symbol for
Mercury or of Hermaphroditus, like a Venus sign crowned with
crescent horns.}
Nidificate: to nest: applied when eggs are placed in a prepared
receptaculum.
Niger: black.
Nigricans: black, tinged with gray.
Nits: the eggs of sucking lice; specifically when attached to a hair: in
general, though rarely, applied in the singular to an egg.
Nitidus: shining: applied to a highly polished, smooth surface.
Niveous -eus: snowy white.
Nocturnal: species that fly or are active at night.
Nodal furrow: in Odonata; a transverse suture, beginning at a point
in costal margin corresponding to the nodus, and extending toward
inner margin.
Nodal sector: in Odonata; = media 2 (Comst.): arises from upper
sector of arculus near nodus and extends to outer margin.
Node: a knot or knob: in the plural refers to the small segment or
segment between thorax and main portion of abdomen in ants.
Nodiform: in the form of a knot or knob.
Nodicorn: with antennae that have the apex of each joint swollen.
Nodose -us: knotted or with knots; a body with one or more knotted
parts a sculpture with almost isolated knots.
Nodule: a little knot, lump or node.
Nodulose -us -ate: with small nodes or nodules: a surface sculpture
of knots or links, connected by an undulating line.
Nodus: in Odonata; a stout, oblique, short vein at the place where the
anterior margin of the wings is sometimes drawn in.
Nopalry: a plantation of cacti for raising cochineal insects.
Normal: of the usual form or type: not out of the ordinary.
Notate: marked by spots: with a series of depressed marks as a
sculpture.
Notched: indented, cut or nicked; usually a margin.
Notocephalon: in some aquatic Hemiptera, that part of the head which
is apparent from a dorsal aspect.
Notodont: with toothed backs: applied to a series of moths whose
larvae are more or less conspicuously humped on dorsal surface.
Notopleural suture: = dorso-pleural suture; q.v.
Nototheca: that part of the pupa covering upper surface of abdomen.
Notum: the dorsal or upper part of a segment: = tergum.
Nucha: the upper surface of the neck connecting head and thorax.
Nucleate: with, or having a nucleus.
Nucleolus: the small portion of matter in the nucleus most readily
affected by staining fluids.
Nucleus: a well-defined, differentiated, round or oval body imbedded
in the cell contents.
Nude -us: naked: a surface devoid of hair, scales or other vestiture.
Nuditas: = nudity.
Nudity: the state of being naked or bare of vestiture.
Nurses: worker ants or worker bees which care for the eggs, larvae
and pupae, but do not forage, the latter function being taken up later,
when nursing is given up.
Nutant: nodding; the tip bent toward the horizon.
Nutritive chamber: an enlarged section of ovarian tube, filled with
granular nutritive material used in developing the egg cells.
Nymph: the larval stage of insects with incomplete metamorphosis:
applies also to their pupal stage, and sometimes used as = pupa.
Nympha inclusa: = coarctate pupa; q.v.
Nymphipara: applied to insects that bear living young in an advanced
stage of development: see also pupipara.
O
Ob-: as a prefix, means inversely.
Obconic: conic, with the apex pointing downward.
Obcordate: inversely heart-shaped, with the point applied to the base
of another object or part.
Obese -us: unnaturally distended: usually applied to the abdomen.
Oblate: flattened; applied to a spheroid of which the diameter is
shortened at two opposite ends.
Oblique: any direction between perpendicular and horizontal.
Oblique vein: in Odonata; an apparent cross-vein situated between M2
and Rs, distal to the level of the nodus and inclined obliquely, from its
front end, backward and outward; in reality the basal part of Rs.
Obliterate: nearly washed out; indistinct.
Oblong: longer than broad.
Obovate: inversely egg-shaped; the narrow end downward.
Obpyriform: inversely pearshaped.
Obscure: not readily seen: not well defined.
Obsite-us: a surface covered with equal scales or other bodies.
Obsolete: nearly or entirely lost: inconspicuous.
Obtect: wrapped in a hard covering.