Wikijunior:Bugs/Glossary

From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection

[edit] Glossary

Abdomen - the hindmost section of the body of an insect or spider

Algae – a water plant with no true stems or leaves

Amphibian – an animal able to live both on land and in water

Antennae – a pair of flexible sensitive projections on an insect’s head

Aquatic – growing or living in or near water

Biocontrol (biological control) - the use of organisms to control insect pest populations

Cellulose – an organic substance found in all plant tissues

Cephalothorax – two of the three major body regions (head and thorax) combined into one, as in spiders

Cerci – two tiny hairs at the tip of a cockroach’s abdomen that detect movement

Chitin – an organic substance forming a part of the exoskeleton

Chrysalis – the capsule-enclosed pupa from which a butterfly or moth develops.

Citrus – fruit trees such as lemon, orange, and grapefruit

Cocoon – the silky sheath around a chrysalis; a protective wrapping

Complete metamorphosis – an insect changes to an adult in several stages. For example, a housefly changes from an egg to early larva, then to full-sized larva, then to a pupa and finally to an adult. When it is in the pupa stage, it is “resting” before the final molt to a full grown adult.

Compound eye – the organ of vision in many insects. It contains many light-sensitive facets that make a complete image on the retina. Very useful for detecting small movements.

Cornicles – a pair of wax-secreting projections (little horns) on the back end of an aphid

Coxa – the first segment of an insect leg

Crustacean – an animal that has a hard shell, such as a crab or shrimp

Cuticle – the outermost layer of an insect’s exoskeleton

Decomposer – an insect that eats dead or decayed matter

Detritus - decomposing or decaying organic matter

Duff – decomposed leaf litter

Ecdysis – another name for molting or shedding of the old exoskeleton

Elytra – sheath or covering that protects the wings of beetles

Exoskeleton – the external supporting and protective structure of an insect

Fang – the piercing part of the spider jaw.

Femur – the third segment of an insect’s leg

Filament – a fine thread or fiber

Gall – a growth caused by an insect on a plant. It is used for protection and food.

Grub – the thick-bodied wormlike larva of certain insects

Halteres – a pair of balancing organs just behind and at the base of a fly’s wings

Herbivorous – feeding on vegetable matter; plant eating

Hydrophobic – repelling water

Imago – fully adult stage of mayfly

Insecticide – substance used for killing insects

Instar – name for the stages between molts

Invertebrates – organisms with no backbones, such as insects, crustaceans, and mollusks

Iridescent - displaying the colors of a rainbow in shifting hues and patterns, as soap bubbles

Larva – the first stage of an insect after leaving the egg. It is an immature form that is unlike the adult and must undergo metamorphosis

Leaf litter – partially decomposed leaves, twigs and other plant matter that has recently fallen and covers the ground

Leaf miner – an insect that spends part of its life in the layers of a leaf. As it feeds it bores or tunnels mines which also provide protection

Leaf roller – an insect that curls part of leaf around its body for protection during an immature stage

Mammal – a member of the class of animals that suckle their young

Mechanical control – a method of controlling insects, such as using oil to block the spiracles so an insect cannot breathe

Metamorphosis – the change in body form during an insect’s development

Mimicry – copying the shape of another animal or some inanimate object such as a stick

Molting – shedding an exoskeleton so an insect can grow

Nymph – a young insect that resembles its parents in form

Ommatidia – tiny light sensitive parts of a compound eye

Omnivorous – feeding on both plants and animal flesh

Organic matter – material that is made of decaying plants and animals

Ovipositor – the external female reproductive organ used to lay eggs

Parasite – an organism that lives in or on another organism (host) for a portion of its life but does not kill it

Parasitoid – an insect that lives in another organism and kills it during its development

Pathogens – organisms that cause disease

Pheromone – a chemical that sends information to members of the same species

Predator – an animal that kills other animals for food

Protozoan – a one-celled microscopic animal

Pupa – the stage following the larva

Salivary glands – glands in the mouth that make a liquid that helps digest food

Scavenger – an organism that consumes dead material

Simple (incomplete) metamorphosis – the insect changes to an adult in only three main growth stages. It changes from an egg, molts through several nymph stages then becomes an adult. There is no larva or pupa stage. There is no “resting” stage before the adult stage.

Spiracle – an opening through the exoskeleton for the passage of water or air for breathing

Subimago – first winged stage of mayfly

Surface tension – the tendency of water molecules to cling to each other creating a thin film on the surface

Tarsus – the last (fifth) segment of an insect’s leg

Tibia – the fourth segment of an insect’s leg

Thorax – the middle section of the body in between the head and the abdomen

Tracheal system – a series of tubes that carry oxygen to cells in an insect’s body

Trochanter – the second segment of an insect’s leg

True fly –order Diptera; has only one pair of wings

Vertebrates – animals with backbones, such as reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals.

Wingpad – the immature form of an insect’s wing, unable to produce flight.

[edit] References

Dasheisky, H. S. (1994). Entomology, High-School Science Fair Experiments. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books.

Preston-Mafham, K. (1984). Spiders of the world. New York, NY: Facts on File Publications.