|
Navigation |
| |
 |
|
Glossary |
|
|
|
 |
Glossary |
 |
| |
Glossary of terms used within
this website.
A B
C D E
F G H
I J K
L M N
O P Q
R S T
U V W
X Y Z
| Glossary: |
|
Translation: |
| Abdomen |
|
The posterior region of the body trunk of
animals. In vertebrates it contains the stomach
and intestines and the organs of excretion and
reproduction. It is particularly well sefines
in mammals, being separated from the thorax.
In many arthropods, such as insects and spiders,
it may be segmented. The third part of a body
of an insect (cf. head and thorax). |
| Acanthus |
|
A spine, or spur. |
Acanthotaxy |
|
The naming of spines on the phasmid head
or body. |
| Aculeate, aculeatus |
|
Pointed; armed with short
sharp points. |
| Acute |
|
Pointed. |
| Adaptation |
|
Any change in the structure
or functioning of an organism that makes it
better suiter to its environment. Natural selection
of inheritable adaptatins ultimately leads to
the development of new species. Increasing adaptation
of a species to a particular environment tends
to diminish its ability to adapt to any sudden
change in that environment. |
| Adult |
|
The final (mature) developmental stage an
insect, during which reproduction occurs, and
winged species develop their wings. |
| Adhesive |
|
The substance by which egg
of the phasmid or any other insects is gluid
to a surface. |
| Adspersus |
|
marked with closely crowded small spots. |
| Aedeagus |
|
In the male insect, the
terminal part of phallus (copulatory organ). |
| Agar |
|
An extract of certain species of red sewweeds
that is used as a gelling agent in microbiological
culture media, foodstuffs, medicines, and cosmetic
creams and jellies. Nutrient agar consists of
a broth made from beef extract or blood that
is gelled with agar and used for the cultivation
of bacteria, fungi, and some algae. |
| Agonistic behaviour |
|
Any form of behaviour associated
with aggression, including threat, attack, appeasement,
or fighting. it is often associated with defence
of a territory; for example, a threat display
by the defending individual is often met with
an appeasement display from the intruder, thus
avoiding harmful conflict. |
| Aggressin |
|
A toxic substance that is secreted by certain
parasitic microorganisms and inhibits the natural
defence mechanisms of a host organism. |
| Air pollution |
|
The release into the atmosphere
of substances that cause a variety of harmful
effects to the natural environment. Most air
pollutants are gases that are released into
the troposphere, which extends about 8 km above
the surface of the earth. The burning of fossil
fuels, for example in power stations, is a major
source of air polution as this process produces
suce gases as sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide.
Released into the atmosphere, both these gases
are thought to contribute to the greenhouse
effect. Sulphur dioxides and nitrogen axides,
release in car exhaust fumes, are air pollutants
that are responsible for the formation of aci
rain; nitrogen oxides also contribute to the
formation of photochemical smog. |
| Ala |
|
hindwing. |
| Alae |
|
hindwings. |
| Albus |
|
Pure white. |
| Alveolar |
|
Large hollow cellular structures
on the phasmid egg capsule. |
| Antennae |
|
A long whiplike jointed mobile paires appendage
on the head of many arthropods, usually concerned
with the senses of smell, touch, etc. In insects,
millipedes, and centipedes they are the first
pair of head appendages and are specialized
and modified in many insects. In crustaceans
they are the second pair of head appendages,
the first pair (the antennules) having the sensory
function, while the antennae are modified for
swimming and for attachment. The shape and size
differ between sexes of some insects. Often
known as feelers. |
| Aposematic |
|
Meaning that a prey animal
is brightly coloured, in order to ward off predators
(e.g. Oreophoetes peruana and Anisomorpha buprestoides). |
| Appendage |
|
Any limb or other organ attached to the body
via joints. |
| Apterous |
|
Without wings. |
| Arborea |
|
Lives in trees. |
| Arthropods |
|
Animals which belong to
the phylum Arthropoda. |
| Arthropoda |
|
A phylum of invertebrate animals comprising
over one million species - the largest in the
animal kingdom. Arthropods inhabit marine, freshwater,
and terrestrial habitats worldwide. Characteristically,
they possess an outer body layer - the cuticle
- that functions as a rigid protective
exoskeleton: growth in thus possible only by
periodic moults. The arthropos body is composed
of segments usually forming distinct specialized
body regions, eg. head, thorax, and abdomen.
These segments may possess hardened jointed
appendages, modified variously as mouthparts,
limbs, wings, reproductive organs, or sense
organs. The main body cavity, containing the
internal organs, is a blood-filled haemocoel
within which lies the heart. The origins
and relationships of the various groups of arthropods
remain uncertain, but they have been assigned
to three subphyla or superclasses according
to the basic structure of their appendages:
Crustacea (shrimps, barnacles, crabs, etc.);
Uniramia, including the classes Insects (insects),
Chilopoda (centipedes), and Diplopoda (millipedes);
and Chelicerata, including the Arachnida (spiders,
scorpions, mites, and ticks). |
| Articulation |
|
The attachment of two bones,
usually by means of a joint. The thigh bone
(femur), for instance, articulates with the
pelvic girdle. |
| Autotomy |
|
The shedding by an animal of part of its body
followed by the regeneration of the lost part.
Autotomy is achived by the contraction of muscles
at specialezed regions in the body. It serves
as a protective mechanism if the animal in damaded
of attacked (eg. tail loss in certain reptiles)
and in common as a method od asexual reproduction
in polychaete worms, in which both new head
and tail region may be regenerated. |
| Auditory |
|
Of or relating to the ear.
For example, the auditory meatus is the canal
leading from the pinna to the tympanum (eardrum). |
|
|
|
We Recommend using Fire Fox for better viewing
of this website. Copy Right All Right reserved PhasmidsinCyberspace.com
2005
Webdesign by: M.shahin
|
| Care
Sheet |
|
|
|
Help Planet Earth |
| |
|
|
California King Snakes 
today!