abbreviations: A=abdominal segment; Af=adfrontal setae; D=dorsal setae; L=lateral setae; P=posterior setae; SD=subdorsal setae; SV=subventral setae; T1=prothorax; T2=mesothorax; T3=metathroax; V=ventral setae

abdominal prolegs: all prolegs on any abdominal segment except the last, which are Anal prolegs

adfrontal areas: an oblique sclerite on each side of the frons, usually extending from the base of the antennae to the epicranial suture where they meet, or to the epicranial notch if they do not meet

adfrontal setae: a pair of setae on the adfrontal areas, the more dorsal one being AF1

adfrontal suture: the suture separating the adfrontal area from the cranium

anal comb: the mesal sclerotized prong ventrad of the anal plate and adjacent to the anus; used to eject frass

anal fork: see Anal comb

anal prolegs: prolegs on the last abdominal segment (A10)

anal shield: the dorsal shieldlike covering of the last abdominal segment (= anal plate)

anterad: toward the front

anterior: front; in front of

anterodorsal: in front of and toward the back or upper part

anteroventral: in front of and toward the venter or lower part

apical: at the end or the tip

approximate: close together

armature: setae, spines, or sclerotized processes

atrophied: rudimentary, reduced

bifid: divided into two parts; forked

bifurcate: forked; two-branched

biordinal: crochets arranged in a single row of alternating lengths

biserial: crochets with the bases arranged in two rows

bisetose: two setae

blades: thick flat spines on the proximolateral region of the hypophayngeal complex

caterpillar: a larva with a conspicuous head, three pairs of thoracic legs, and prolegs; the larva of a butterfly, moth, sawfly, or scorpionfly (= eruciform)

caudad: toward the posterior end or tail

caudal: pertaining to the tail or posterior end

cephalad: toward the head or anterior end

cephalic: pertaining to the head; anterior

chaetotaxy: the arrangement and nomenclature of setae; see setal map

chalaza: a simple, sclerotized, elevated projection, usually bearing a single seta

cleft: split or forked

clypeus: the sclerite between the frons and the labrum

condyle: a knoblike process forming part of an articulation by fitting into a depression

crenulate: wavy or scalloped

crochets: sclerotized, hooklike structures, usually arranged in rows or circles on the prolegs of Lepidoptera larvae

deciduous: having parts that may naturally fall off, be shed, or break away

dentate: toothed

distal: toward the tip or end; farthest from the body

dorsad: toward the top or back

dorsal: at the top or back or above

dorsolateral: at the top and to the side

dorsomesal: at the top and near the midline

eclosion: hatching from the egg

emarginate: with a dent or notch in the margin

epicranial notch: the V-shaped dorsomedial space delimited laterally by the cranial halves

epicranial suture: an inverted Y-shaped suture on face of head with arms diverging ventrad; the suture that separates the epicranial halves on the dorsum of the head

epicranium: the cranium above the frons

epipharynx: inner surface of the labrum

exuvia: the cast skin; typically used in describing the larval skin and pupal case

filament: a long, slender structure

filiform: hairlike or threadlike

frass: the pelletlike excrement of caterpillars and other insects

frons: medial sclerite on face of head delimited above by epicranial arms and below by frontoclypeal suture; sometimes termed frontal area (or front)

front: the frons or frontal area, sometimes including the clypeus

frontal seta: a seta on the frons

frontal suture: the two branches of the epicranial suture on either side of the frons

frontoclypeal suture: the suture separating the frons from the clypeus

hypopharyngeal complex: a structure consisting of the Hypopharynx, Labial palpi, and Spinneret

hypopharynx: the median inner mouthpart structure anterior to the labium

instar: the stage between molts

integument: the outer body wall (epidermis + cuticle); the "skin"

labial palpus: a pair of small, segmented sensory structures arising on the distolateral portions of the labium

labium: the lower lip

labrum: the upper lip

larva: the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis

laterad: toward the side, away from the midline

lateral: to the side, or at the side of

lateral penellipse: an incomplete circle of crochets closed laterally and open mesially

looper: a caterpillar with some prolegs reduced or missing, usually on segments A3-5 (Geometridae) or A3-4 (Noctuidae)

maxilla: the paired mouthparts posterior to the mandibles

maxillary palp: a small, segmented sensory structure arising from the maxilla

median: in the middle

mesal penellipse: an incomplete circle of crochets closed mesally and open laterally

meson: an imaginary vertical middle plane of the body

mesoseries: a longitudinal row of crochets on the mesal side of a proleg; if curved, less than two-thirds of a circle

mesothorax: the second thoracic segment

metathorax: the third thoracic segment

microspines: minute spines on the body, usually visible only under magnification

monophagous: feeding on only one species

multiordinal: crochets arising in a single row and in many alternating lengths

multiserial: crochets arising in several rows

multiserial circle: crochets arising in three or more concentric circles

Newcomer's organ: a dorsal gland on the seventh abdominal segment of late instar larvae that secretes honey dew on which ants feed

ocellus: a simple eye of an adult insect; compare to stemmata

ordinal: referring to the lengths of crochets; see uniordinal, biordinal, triordinal

oviposit: to lay eggs

penellipse: crochets arranged in an incomplete oval or circle; see lateral penellipse, mesal penellipse

penultimate: next to last

peritreme: a sclerotized ring surrounding the outer spiracular opening

phytophagous: feeding on plants

pinaculum: a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae

planta: distal part of the proleg bearing the crochets but never bearing setae

plate: a larger sclerotized area of the body; = shield

posterad: toward the rear

posterior: caudal or rear

postspiracular: caudal of the spiracles

preapical: just before the apex

prepupa: the nonfeeding portion of the last instar preceding the pupa in which the larva is shorter, thicker, and relatively inactive

primary setae: those setae with definite locations and numbers found in all instars

produced: extended or projecting

prolegs: fleshy, unjointed abdominal legs with or without crochets; false legs

prothoracic shield: the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment

prothorax: the first thoracic segment

proximal: nearest to the point of attachment

recurved: curved backward

reniform: kidney-shaped

retinaculum: a projection or toothlike structure on the oral surface of the mandible

retracted: with the head withdrawn into the prothorax

retractile: capable of being drawn in

rudimentary: reduced in size, barely developed

saprophagous: feeding on dead or decaying materials

scale: a highly modified seta, which is somewhat expanded and usually flattened above

sclerite: a hardened body plate

sclerotized: hardened and tanned, so that it is yellow to black in color

scolus: a spinose, usually branched projection of the body wall, each branch bearing a stout seta at its tip

secondary setae: those setae with indefinite locations and numbers, and usually not present in the first instar

serial: referring to the number of rows of the bases of the crochets

serrate: sawlike

seta: a hairlike projection of the body wall that is articulated in a socket; compare to spine

setal map: a flat, diagrammatic drawing of the arrangement of the setae on one side of a larva

setose: bearing setae

shield: a sclerotized plate covering part of the dorsum of a segment

simple eyes: see stemmata or ocellus

sinus: a cavity or depression

spatulate: spatula-shaped, spoon-shaped; flat, rounded, and broad at the tip, narrowed at the base

spine: an unarticulated thornlike projection arising from the cuticle; compare to seta or spur

spinneret: a structure from which silk is spun, usually located on the labium of larvae

spinulose: bearing little spines

spiracular line: the line coinciding with or near the spiracles

spur: a movable spine

stadium: the time period between molts

stemma: a simple eye of holometabolous larvae

striate: with grooves and ridges

subanal: below the anus

subequal: nearly equal

submentum: the basal part attaching the labium to the head

sulcus: a groove or furrow

tarsus: the fifth segment of the thoracic leg which usually bears a claw (in larvae)

tentorium: the internal skeleton of the head

tonofibrillary platelet: a small, external, flattened, sclerotized area of the integument associated with muscle attachment

transverse band: crochets arranged transversely to the long axis of the body

triordinal: crochets arranged so the tips are of three alternating lengths

trisetose: three setae

truncate: square at the end

tuft: a group of setae

uniordinal: crochets arranged so they are of a single length or slightly shorter toward the ends of the row

uniserial: crochets arranged in a single row with their bases in line

unisetose: one seta

urticating hairs: hairs or setae connected to poison glands that cause irritation; barbed hairs may also cause irritation without poison

venter: the entire upper surface of the body

verruca: a somewhat elevated area of the cuticle, bearing setae pointing in many directions like a pin-cushion

vestigial: weakly developed or degenerate; only a remnant left