Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology - Part 78
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Part 78

Spinous-radiate: beset with spines in a circle, either concatenate, united at their bases, or setaceous, like bristles.

Spinulae: spinous processes at the apex of the tibia: also called spines, spurs or heels.

Spinulate -ose: set with little spines or spinules.

Spinules: little spines.

Spira: the coiled ovipositor of Cynipidae.

Spiracle -cula: a breathing pore: q.v.: in the plural the lateral openings on the segments of the insect body through which air enters the tracheae:= stigmata.

Spiracular area: the anterior of the three areas between lateral and pleural carinae on the metanotum of some Hymenoptera: =first pleural area.

Spiracular line: in caterpillars is that which includes the spiracles: = stigmatal.

Spiracular sulcus: on the metanotum of Hymenoptera, is a grooved linear channel extending from spiracle to apical margin.

Spiral: rolled up like a watch spring, or twisted like a cork-screw.

{Scanner's comment: Nowadays it is more correct to regard the corkscrew as helical and the watch spring as spiral.}

Spiral fibre: the spiral thickening or folding of the chitinous lining of a trachea, which gives to the latter its characteristic microscopic appearance as well as its support and elasticity:= ctenidium.

Spirignath: = spiritrompe.

Spiritrompe: the spiral tongue in Lepidoptera.

Splanchnic: applied to the outer embryonic layer of the rudiment of the mid-intestine: or the inner layer of the mesoderm which, becoming applied to the walls of the alimentary ca.n.a.l, develops into the muscle fibres thereof.

Splendens -ent: shining: with a metallic glitter.

Splitter: one who splits or describes species or genera upon minute characters which the "Lumper" (q.v.) deems insufficient to authorize them.

Spongioplasm: the net-like structure of protoplasm in a cell.

Spongiose: a soft, elastic tissue resembling a sponge.

Spoon: = bouton; q.v.

Spring: in Collembola. = furcula: q.v.

Spur: a short, stiff, generally blunt process and usually not articulated at its base: in the plural refers to paired spiniform processes at or near the end of tibia:.

Spur formula: a numerical expression of their arrangement; as 2-3-4; two spurs on fore tibia, 3 on middle, and 4 on posterior; in Trichoptera.

Spurius: false: applied to aborted anterior legs in some diurnal Lepidoptera.

Spurious cell: in Diptera (Pack.), = 3d a.n.a.l (Comst.).

Spurious veins: certain folds or thickenings in the wing surface which resemble a vein so nearly as to be readily mistaken and sufficiently constant to be useful in cla.s.sification.

Squama: in Odonata, the sclerite that bears the palpus of both maxilla and labium: the scale-like first abdominal segment of some ants: a scale-like appendage covering the base of primaries in Lepidoptera, and so = patagium; q.v.: a small scale above the halteres in Diptera: in this order Packard uses squama for the lobed scale and restricts alula to the lobe-like appendage: Osten-Sacken uses squama for the posterior scale alone and antisquama for the anterior.

Squames: the flattened, fimbriated or spine-like marginal processes of the pygidium in Diaspinae, other than the lobes and true spines: = "plates," of Comst.; or "scaly hairs" of Maskell.

Squamiform: having a scale-like form.

Squamose -ous: scaly or covered with scales.

Squamula: a small corneous scale covering the base of primaries in some insects: = tegula, q.v.: in Diptera, = alula.

Squarrous: scurfy: clothed with rough scales differing in direction, standing upright, or not parallel to the surface.

Stadium -ia: the interval between the molts of larvae:= instar q.v.: any one period in the development of an insect.

Stage: refers to the period of development; e.g. larval, pupal, etc.

Stalked bodies: = gyri cerebrales; q.v.

Stellate: star-shaped; with four or five radiating lines.

Stelocyttares: social wasps in which the comb layers of the nest are supported by pillars and not connected with the envelope: see poecilocyttares and phragmocyttares.

Stemapoda: the modified filamentous a.n.a.l legs of Cerura and other Notodontid larvae.

Stemmata: simple eyes or ocelli; q.v.

Stem-mother: in plant lice; that form hatching from the winter egg, which starts a series of agamic summer generations.

Stenocephalous: with a narrow, elongate head.

Stenorhynchan: narrow beaked or snouted.

Stenothorax: a supposed ring between pro- and meso-thorax.

Stercoral: relating or pertaining to excrement.

Sterile: not capable of reproducing its kind.

Sternal orifice: in Perlids; a peculiar slit on each side of the sternum, extending inward and ending blindly := furcal orifice.

Sternal spatula: = breast-bone; q.v.

Sternauli: the short and often obsolete furrows on either side of the mesosternum in Hymenoptera.

Sternellum: the second sclerite of the ventral part of each thoracic segment frequently divided into longitudinal parts which may be widely separated.

Sternite: the ventral piece in a ring or segment.