Glossary of insect terminology
A
Abdomen
the third or posterior division of the insect body
Abdominal
part of the abdomen
Antennae
paired sensory organs originating on the insect head
Antennal article
an individual segment of an antenna
Antennal insertion
the point where an antenna attaches to the head
Anterior
in front; the front of
Anterior angle
the angle of the thorax near the head
Apex
the portion of a body part farthest from the base or point of attachment. The apex of the elytra is the portion at the rear end of the elytra.
B
Binomial
consisting of two parts
C
Canthus
ridge dividing the eye of some insects into an upper and a lower half
Carina
an elevated ridge
Club
portion of the antenna that is enlarged from the other segments
Coleoptera
the order comprised of the beetles; sheath winged
Concave
hollowed out; a depression
Confluent
running together
Convex
curved outward; opposite of concave;
Crenulate
with small scallops, evenly rounded
D
Declivity
sloping downward
Diapause
a condition of suspended animation; no activity or development occurs
Dorsal
upper surface or back when viewed from above
Dorsum
in general, the upper surface
E
Elytra
first pair of wings that are modified to form a hard shell
F
Facet
one portion or segment of the compound eye
Femur
the thigh; usually the stoutest segment of the leg
Filiform
thread like
Frons
the upper, anterior portion of the head
Fungal feeder
insect that feeds exclusively on fungus associated with stored grain
G
Genera
the name of a genus, the first portion of a binomial scientific name
Grub
an insect larva in the Order Coleoptera
H
Head
the first or anterior division of the insect body where the eyes and antennae are found
Horns
pointed process of the head
Hypopus
resting larval stage of certain mite species
I
Incision
any cut into a margin or through a surface
Integument
outer covering or cuticle of the insect body
Interval(s)
space between two structures or sculptures e.g. space between two ridges on elytra
L
Larval
pertaining to immature stage of juvenile insects
Lateral
pertaining to the side
Lateral bead
edge of pronotum slightly to moderately thickened forming a bead
Lateral ridges
a raised line along the side of a portion of the insect
M
Mandibles
first pair of jaws in insects
Median/Medial
in or at the middle
Mesothorax
second or middle segment of the thorax bearing the second or middle pair of legs and the anterior or first pair of wings
Metathorax
the third or last segment of the thorax bearing the third or hind pair of legs and the second pair of wings
Morphological
relating to form and structure
Moult
process of larval growth involving the shedding of outgrown skin
O
Ocellus
simple eye in adult insects consisting of a single bead like lens
P
Pits
same as punctures; small impression on the hard outer part of the insect body
Posterior
hindmost; at the back
Primary insect
as defined by the Canadian Grain Commission, an insect that can attack whole, sound grain and requires action
Pronotum
the upper or dorsal surface of the prothorax; on the beetles this appears to be the middle segment when viewed from above
Prothorax
the first segment of the thorax bearing the first pair of legs
Pubescence
short, fine, soft hair
Punctures
small impression on the hard outer part of the insect body
Puparia
thickened, hardened barrel-like larval skin within which the pupa is formed
S
Scavenger
a feeder on decaying or waste matter
Secondary insect
an insect that requires grain that is going out of condition or damaged to be able to feed on it
Serrate(d)
saw-like or toothed
Seta
single hair
Setae
hairs
Snout
lengthening of the head to give the appearance of a nose or snout
Striated
marked with fine, parallel, impressed lines
Sub-basal
below the base or point of attachment
Subequal
similar, but not equal in size
Sublateral
nearly to the side
Subparallel
nearly parallel
T
Temple
region between the eye and the back of the head
Terga
belonging to the upper surface of the body (more than one segment)
Tergum
the upper or dorsal surface of any one body segment
Thoracic Shield
upper surface of the thorax that appears as a single segment and is shield-shaped
Tubercle
small bumps or projections from a surface
U
Urogomphi
fixed or mobile structures found on the last or terminal segment of certain larvae
V
Ventral
the under surface of the abdomen; from below