Glossary

A

abdomen: the third functional part of the body behind the thorax

Afrotropic: biogeographic region including Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean

anal cell: posterior part of the wing membrane enclosed by veins

anepimeron: portion of the mesopleuron located beneath the base of the forewing

antenna: a slender moveable sensory organ located on the head above the clypeus

anterior: side of a body part closest to the head

anterodorsal: top of a body part closest to the head

apex: end of any structure furthest from the head

apical: near or at the apex or end of any structure

aposematic: coloration that warns or repels potential predators

Australasia: biogeographic region that includes Australia, the island of New Guinae, and the eastern part of the Indonesian Archipelago

B

band: usually referring to bands of hair or bands of color that traverse across an abdominal segment

basal: originating at the foundation of a structure

base: the foundation of a structure

basitarsus: the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the insects body, usually the longest of the tarsal segments

C

cell: a portion of wing membrane enclosed by wing veins

cercus: one of a pair of appendages on the posterior-most abdominal segment

clavate: clubbed

clypeus: sutures

concave: curved inward

convex: curved outward

costa: a vein on the leading edge of the insect wing

coxa: the basal segment of the leg

D

dimorphic: having two distinct forms

distal: part of a segment that is furthest from the point of attachment to the body

diurnal: active only during daytime, as opposed to nocturnal

dorsal: the top surface of a structure

E

endemic: an animal restricted to a specific region

episternum: the side of the thorax, not including the sides of the propodeum

eusociality: colonies where adult members belong to two or more overlapping generations, share colony maintenance, brood care and foraging responsibilities, and are divided into reproductive and nonreproductive castes

extant: still in existance

F

femur: the third segment of the leg, situated between the trochanter and the tibia

filiform: thread-like

flagellomere: any segment of the antenna past the scape and pedicel

flagellum: apical component of the antenna following the scape and pedicel

forecoxa: coxa on the front pair of legs

forefemur: third segment of front leg

foreleg: first pair of legs closest to the head

foretarsus: segments following the tibia of the front leg

foretibia: a long segment, or fourth segment following the femur of the front leg

forewing: the front wing attached to the middle thoracic segment

frons: the area between the antennae and ocelli

furrow: groove

G

gena: the cheek or side of the head

genitalia: all the genital structures collectively

H

hind leg: the posterior leg attached to the third thoracic segment

hind wing: the posterior wing attached to the third thoracic segment

Holarctic: biogeographic region that encompasses the majority of habitats found throughout the northern continents of the world

holotype: the type specimen used to describe a species

homogeneous: uniform, composed of similar or identical parts or elements

hyaline: transparent, glassy

I

instar: developmental larval stage between molts

integument: a tough, protective outer layer

K

katepimeron: the lower part of the side of the middle segment of the thorax below the forewing

L

labial palpus: one of a pair of jointed, sensory structures attached to the labium of the mouth parts

labrum: part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts

larva: active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa

lateral: the side

M

malar space: or malar area; the shortest distance between the base of the mandible and the lower margin of the eye

mandible: jaw

maxillary palpus: one of the pair of jointed, sensory structures carried on the maxilla of the mouth parts

mesepimeron: the upper part of the side of the middle segment of the thorax below the forewing

mesepisternum: the second or middle segment on the side of the thorax bearing the middle legs and the forewings

meson: the mesial plane dividing the body into similar right and left halves

mesothorax: the middle of the three segments of the thorax

metasoma: the posterior part of the body

metepisternum: thorax segment bearing the hind legs and hind wings

monophyletic: a group of organisms having descended from the same common ancestor

N

Nearctic: biogeographical region comprising North America as far south as northern Mexico, together with Greenland

Neotropical: biogeographic region that includes South and Cental America, the Caribbean Islands, southern Florida, and the southern Mexican lowlands

New World: the Western Hemisphere, comprising North and South America

O

ocellus: single facet light reception organs; on the top of the adult head

Old World: the part of the world that was known before the discovery of the Americas, comprised of Europe, Asia, and Africa; the Eastern Hemisphere

ovipositor: the tubular egg-laying apparatus of female insects, sometimes referred to as the stinger

P

Palearctic: a region consisting of Europe, Asia and northern Africa

palpus: sensory appendages on the labium and maxilla

paraocular: the area extending along the sides of the face parallel to the eye

pedicel: the second segment of the antennae, between the scape and flagellum

plumose: feather-like

preoccipital ridge: the carina that dorsolaterally surrounds the back of the head

proboscis: an elongated sucking mouthpart that is typically tubular and flexible

pronotal lobe: a part of the pronotum located dorsally on the posterior margin of the pronotum and overlaps the anterior thoracic spiracle

pronotum: a collar-like segment on the thorax and directly behind the head; extends down the sides of the throax toward the first pair of legs

propodeum: the last segment of the thorax

protuberant: rising or produced above the surface of the general level of a feature

pubescence: short, fine hair

punctate: with numerous tiny holes

pupa: an inactive immature stage in insects between larva and adult

S

scape: the basal, and usually the longest, segment of the antennae

sclerotized: hardened by the formation of sclerotin in the exoskeleton of an insect

scutellum: shield shaped plate behind scutum

scutum: the largest segment on top of the thorax located between the wings and behind the head

seta: a hair-like structure or bristle

sinuate: margin wavy or with multiple stong indentations

spatulate: having a broad, rounded end

spiracle: a breathing pore, usually occurring on the third thoracic segment 

squamose: covered with minute scales

sternum: the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment, like S1, S2, etc.

stigma: a pigmented/thickened spot on the costal margin of the forewing, usually at the end of the radius

subantennal suture: the groove extending from each antennal socket down to the epistomal suture

submarginal cells: one or more cells of the wing lying immediately below the marginal cell

suture: a groove marking the line of fusion of two distinct plates on the body or face

sympatric: overlapping geographic distributions

T

tarsus: segments at the end of the leg following the tibia

tegula: the usually oval, small shield-like structure covering the base of the forewingwing where it attaches to the body

tergum: the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a speciifc segment, such as T1, T2, etc.

tibia: the segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus

tibial spine: a spine or spines on the distal end of the tibia

tibial spur: articulate apical projection from the apex of the tibia

tomentum: pubescence composed of short matted or woolly hair

trochanter: segment of the insect leg between the coxa and the femur

truncate: ending abruptly, or squared off

tubercle: a small knob-like or rounded protuberance

V

venation: the arrangement of wing veins

ventral: the underside of an insect, or segment of an insect

vertex: the area between the ocelli and the back of the head