abdomen:
the third and last segment of an insect's body; in sawflies this is usually made up of 11 segments (segments 9 and 10 often fused)
anal cell:
cell A of either the fore wing or hind wing
anal crossvein: a crossvein that goes through the center of the basal anal cell
anepimeron:
the dorsal protion of the mesepimeron
annulus:
a ring wrapped around any structure; a division line on the lancet
antenna:
the sensory organ emerging from the front of the head, usually between the compound eyes and above the clypeus; includes the flagellum, scape and pedicel
anterior: of or towards the front or head
anterodorsal: anterior of the dorsum
apex: the end or most distal area of any structure
apical: towards the apex; farthest away from the body
aposematic: having warning coloration, indicating that an insect is unpalatable or venemous or otherwise dangerous
basal: towards the base; closest to the body
base: the beginning or most proximal area of any structure
basitarsus:
the basal tarsomere; also known as tarsomere 1
bidentate:
having two teeth; often used in descrbing mandibles or tarsal claws
bifid:
divided or forked into two branches or parts
bipectinate:
describing pectinate antennae of which each segment has two projections, one on either side
bivoltine: describing a life cycle with two generations per calendar year
carina:
a ridge or raised edge
cell:
1. a membranous area of the wing between veins, 2. a small cavity or closed space
cenchrus:
a sclerotized eliptical lobe on the metascutum used to provide friction with underside of wings to hold them in place on the dorsum of the body while in rest
cercus:
structures emerging posterolaterally from the apex of the abdomen
clavate:
club-like, thickening toward the tip; often used to describe antennae
clypeus:
sclerotized area on the front of the head located between the antennal insertions and labrum
concave: describing an inward curving surface, opposite of convex
conifer: a usually evergreen tree characterized by reproductive cones; e.g., pine, fir, spruce, larch, etc.
coniferous: describing a conifer
convex: describing an outward curving surface, opposite of concave
cornus:
a pointed horn-like process on the apical end of the abdomen in Siricidae sawflies; on tergite 10 in females, sternite 9 in males
costa:
the robust vein on the anterior margin of the wing; vein C
coxa:
the first and most basal segment of the leg
crossvein: short section of wing vein that connects two larger veins
deciduous: describing a tree that drops its foliage once a year and then re-grows it; often senescence occurs before winter and re-growth occurs in the spring
defoliate: to elimate a sizeable portion of the foliage of a tree, either by feeding on the leaves or otherwise causing a severe decreae in photosynthetic ability
defoliator: an insect that defoliates
diapause: a non-active period of no development; sawflies often enter diapause as a prepupa or pupa to overwinter
dimorphic:
having two forms, usually in the context of taxon with different male and female morphology
distal: furthest from the body, opposite of proximal
distitarsus:
the apical tarsomere
dorsal: of or on the top surface of the body or structure
dorsoventrally flattened: the body is flattened from the upper and lower surfaces, like a flatworm
dunnage: material, often wood shavings, used as packing or padding in shipping
emarginate: notched at the margin
endemic: both native and unique to a particular region
epicnemium: the anterior area of the mesepisternum
episternum:
the anterior part of the thoracic pleuron
extant: in existence; opposite of extinct
fecund: describing an organism with high fecundity
fecundity: ability to produce a high number of offspring; potential reproductive abundance
femur:
the third segment of the leg between the trochanter and the tibia
filiform:
generally slender and of even diameter throughout
flagellomere:
A segment of the flagellum of the antenna
flagellum:
the third section of the antennae that includes all the segments beyond the pedicel; segments of the flagellum are known as flagellomeres
fore coxa:
the coxa of the fore leg
fore femur:
the femur of the fore leg
fore leg:
the first and anterior-most leg of the body
fore tarsus:
the tarsus of the fore leg
fore tibia:
the tibia of the fore leg
fore wing:
the anterior wing of each pair of wings; usually the largest wing of the pair
frass: solid larval excrement
frons:
the sclerotized anterodorsal part of the head
furcate:
divided into branches; forked
furrow:
a groove or linear depression
gena:
the area of the head between the compound eye and clypeus; also called the cheek
gonostipe: a sclerite on the male genitalia located at the base of the harpes.
gregarious: describing insects in large groups or aggregations
harpes:
structure emerging posterolaterally from the external male genitalia
hemolymph: the "blood" of an insect, a fluid plasma containing nucleated cells
herbaceous: describing a plant that does not have a woody stem and is often close to the ground; e.g., grasses, forbs, and vegetable plants
hind leg:
the third and posterior-most leg
hind wing:
the posterior wing of each pair of wings
Holarctic:
describing the region of the Northern Hemisphere that includes both the Nearctic and Palearctic regions
holotype: the specimen designated as the type species or type subspecies
hyaline:
transparent; glassy
instar: a stage of development between molts in insects; often is a larval stage
integument: the epidermis and cuticle of the exoskeleton surface
katepimeron:
ventral section of the mesepimeron
labial palpus:
appendage emerging laterally from the labium
labrum:
a sclerotized structure on the front of the head between the clypeus and mandibles
lance:
the dorsal portion of the ovipositor; paired but fused into one
lancet:
the ventral portion of the ovipositor; paired
larva:
the immature stage of holometabolous insects
lateral: of or towards the side of the body
malar space:
the minimum distance between the base of the mandible and the ventral margin of the compound eye
mandible:
the primary mouthpart used for biting and chewing; jaw
maxillary palpus:
appendage emerging laterally from the maxilla; often segmented
mesepimeron:
the dorsal portion of the mesopleuron, located under the wing
mesepisternum:
the ventral portion of the mesopleuron, located between the forecoxae and mid coxae
meson: midline of the body
mesonotum:
the second segment of the dorsum of the thorax
mesopleuron:
the central lateral part of the thorax, includes the mesepisternum and mesepimeron
mesoscutellar appendage: the rounded, central dorsal appendage emerging posteriorly form the mesoscutellum
mesoscutellum:
the anterior section of the scutellum
mesoscutum:
the central and dorsal portion of the thorax between the scutellum and postnotum
metanotum:
the last segment of the dorsum of the thorax
metapleuron:
the posterior lateral part of the thorax including the metepimeron and metepisternum
metascutellum:
the posterior section of the scutellum; encloses the cenchri
metepimeron:
the dorsal portion of the metapleuron
metepisternum:
the ventral portion of the metapleuron
mid leg:
the second and middle leg between the fore leg and hind leg
monophyletic: describing a group of all known descendents arising from a common ancestor
monotypic: describes having only one representative; ex. a genus that includes only one species
multivoltine: describing a life cycle with many generations per calendar year
Nearctic:
describing the region of the Northern Hemisphere that includes North America south through northern Mexico
Neotropical:
Describing the region of the Western Hemisphere that is tropical, ie. between 30°N and 30°S of the equator; includes southern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America
New World:
the Western Hemisphere; the continents of North and South America
notaulus:
one of a pair of diverging furrows on the mesoscutum
notum:
the dorsum of the thorax above pleural region; separated into pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum
occiput:
the posterior surface of the head
ocellar: of or pertaining to the ocellus or ocelli
ocellar basin: the concave area medial between the frons and vertex where the ocelli, if present, are located
ocellar corona:
a ring of raised bumps surrounding the center ocellus; present on sawflies of the family Orussida
ocellus:
a simple bead-like eye, often on the dorsum of the head in groups of 1-3
oculata: narrow sclerotized area surrounding the compound eye
Old World:
The Eastern Hemisphere; the continents of Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe
ovipositor:
the female organ that deposits eggs and is used to drill into plant tissue, located at the apex of the abdomen, made up of the lance and lancet
Palearctic:
describing the region of the northern hemisphere that includes Europe, Asia south to the Himalayas and northern Africa
palpomere:
a segment of a palp
palpus:
jointed structures emerging from the labium and maxilla
paraphyletic: describing a group with members arising from a common ancestor, but not including all of the known descendants of that ancestor
parenchyma: in plants, the soft, thin-walled, inner tissue that performs functions such as photosynthesis, storage, and secretion; as opposed to dermal and vascular tissues
parthenogenesis: a type of sexual reproduction where embryos are produced from unfertilized eggs
pectinate:
comb-like in form
pedicel:
the second antennal segment, between the scape and flagellum
penis valve:
paired structure emerging from the apex of the male genitalia
petiole: stalk or stem; used to describe basal vein stalk in wing OR basal stalk of a leaf.
phylogeny: evolutionary history of a group of organisms
phytophagous: feeding on plants
phytotoxic: toxic to plants; poisons and sometimes kills plant tissue
polyphagous: feeding upon many different kinds of food
polyphyletic: describing a group with members arising from different phylogenies, not sharing a common ancestor
posterodorsal: describes location towards the back on the uppererside of the body; posterior and dorsal
posterolateral: describes location towards the back on the side of the body; posterior and lateral
posteroventral: describes location towards the back on the underside of the body; posterior and ventral
postgenal: located posterior to the gena; of the postgena
postnotum: posterior section of the notum; also known as the subscutellum
postocellar area:
the dorsal portion of the head located between the occiput and ocelli
postocular: describes area behind the compound eye
preapical:
close to, but anterior to, the apex
prepectus: lateral sclerite anterior to mesopleuron (sometimes absent)
prepupa: the active, non-feeding life stage in which the larva prepares to enter the pupal stage
proleg:
in a larva, the paired leg-like appendages of the abdomen that assist in movement; the “legs” beyond the 3 pairs of thoracic legs on a larval body
pronotum:
the anterodorsal part of the thorax, often situated posterior to the head
propleuron:
a lateral sclerite located between the pronotum and episternum near the anterior of the body
proximal: nearest to body, opposite of distal
pubescent: describing a surface with short, dense hairs
pulvillus:
soft pads used for surface adhesion, located in sawflies on the first 4 segments of the tarsus
punctate:
covered with many small punctures, holes or pits
pupa:
the intermediate and inactive life stage of holometabolous insects, between larva and adult
quadrate:
square-like or cube-like in shape
radial cell:
A cell on the wing located in the radial sector on the apical half of the wing; also known as 1R1, 1Rs, 2Rs, 3Rs
rufous: red; reddish
saw: ovipositor
scape:
the first antennal segment
sclerotized: hardened, rigid
scutellum:
a central part of the notum, located between the scutum and postnotum
scutum:
the central part of the notum located anterior to the scutellum, divided into two parts
serrate:
toothed; often describing the ovipositor saw or antennae
serrula:
serrations along the teeth of the ovipositor saw
sessile:
attached directly; describing the broad and complete connection of the thorax to abdomen; opposite of petiolate
seta: hair-like structure
setaceous:
bristle-like or hair-like in form; very slender, mostly uniform and often long.
sheath:
structure that encloses the ovipositor, emerging from apex of the abdomen
spatulate: spoon-shaped; slender at the base and widened and rounded at the apex
speciose: describing a taxon that includes a high number of species
spiracle:
an external opening to the respiratory system of an insect; appears as a pore or small hole
spur: spine, usually on a leg segment
sternite:
a sclerotized segment of the abdominal sternum
sternum:
the ventral area of the thorax or abdomen
stigma:
a section of the fore wing at the apex of vein C that is sclerotized, rounded and often darkened
submarginal cell:
A cell on the wing located below the anterior margin and surrounding the stigma on the apical side of the wing; also known as 2R1, 3R1, 4R1
subsocial: Living in aggregations but lacking organizational structure as in true social insects; can describes insects with tendencies to protect or care for thier young, feed gregariously, and build cocoon masses.
suture: a marked line where two plates are fused
sympatry: the occurrence of two or more populations sharing the same geographic area and coming into contact frequently
tarsal claw:
sharpened appendage emerging from the apex of the tarsus
tarsomere:
a segment of the tarsus
tarsus:
the fifth and last segment of the leg
tegula:
a thin, plate-like structure emerging from the base of the fore wing
tergite:
a sclerotized segment of the tergum
tergum:
the dorsal area of the abdomen
thoracic: of or on the thorax
thorax:
the second and middle segment of the body, between the head and abdomen
tibia:
the fourth segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus
trochanter:
the second segment of the leg, between the coxa and femur
truncate: ending abruptly; cut off squarely; opposite of tapering
tubercle: a raised, round bump or protuberance
unipectinate:
describing pectinate antennae of which each segment has a single projection
univoltine: describing an insect with a life cycle of one generation per year
vein:
a tube-like, often darkened, structure on the wings
venation: the network of veins on a wing
ventral: of or on the underside of the body or structure
vertex: the dorsal portion of the head between the compound eyes, between the occiput and frons
Authors: Q. Baine, C. Looney, S.K. Monckton, D.R. Smith, N.M. Schiff, H. Goulet, A.J. Redford
Content last updated April 2022
idtools.org
tool images at ITP Node
