Copy of `USGS - Caterpillars of the Pacific Northwest`

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USGS - Caterpillars of the Pacific Northwest Category: Animals and Nature Date & country: 30/06/2013, USA Words: 72

adfrontal suture
a seam-like line on the frontal area of a caterpillar's head capsule.

allelochemical
a chemical derived from plants that may stimulate or deter feeding by caterpillars.

anal proleg
a proleg on the last segment of the abdomen.

anterior
to be in front; the area that is the forward-most section of a body part.

aposematic
a brightly colored organism that is typically poisonous.

biordinal
the tips of the crochets occur in a pattern of two rows.

biserial
the base of the crochets occur in a pattern of two rows.

bivoltine
two generations per year.

cardiac glycoside
an allelochemical found in certain plants, such as milkweed, and poisonous to most animals.

chalaza (pl. chalazae)
a single hair arising from an elevated base.

chrysalis
the pupa of a butterfly.

cleft
notched.

cocoon
the pupa of a moth wrapped in silk.

crochets
hooks present on the ends of the prolegs.

cryptic
an organism that blends into its surroundings.

diapause
a condition of arrested development.

diurnal
active during the day.

dorsal
the top or back area of the body.

dorsum
the upper side of the body.

eclose
to emerge from.

frass
insect feces.

gregarious
living in a group.

head capsule
the sclerotized (hardened) part of the head.

herbivorous
feeding on foliage.

holometabolous
an insect whose development involves a pupal stage.

inchworm
the caterpillar of geometrids which has only one pair of midabdominal prolegs.

instar
an immature insect between molts.

labium
the bottom-most part of the mouthparts upon which the caterpillar silk gland is located.

labrum
a flap-like part of the mouthparts just below the face used as a feeding guide.

larva
one of the immature stages in the life cycle of a holometabolous insect.

lateral
an area along the side of a body part.

mandible
a component of the mouthparts used for cutting and chewing food.

mesothorax
the second (middle) segment of the thorax from the head, abbreviated as T2.

metathorax
the third (last) segment of the thorax from the head, abbreviated as T3.

midabdominal proleg
prolegs on the middle abdominal segments.

middorsal
an area in the middle of the top region of a body part.

monophagous
feeding on only one kind of plant.

multiserial
the base of the crochets occur in a pattern of multiple rows.

multivoltine
more than two generations per year.

nocturnal
active during the night.

occiput
the top portion of the head capsule.

omnivorous
feeding on both plants and animals.

osmeterium
an eversible forked pouch in Papilionidae located middorsally on the prothorax.

oviposition
the laying of an egg.

parasitoid
a specialized insect predator whose young develop entirely on a single host and kill the host.

plusiine noctuids
a group of moths whose caterpillar typically has two pair of midabdominal prolegs.

polyphagous
feeding on many plant species.

posterior
to be behind; the area that is the back end of a body part.

predaceous
feeding on animals.

proleg
fleshy protuberance of the body wall creating a nonjointed leg.

prothoracic shield
a sclerotized plate on the first thoracic segment.

prothorax
the first segment of the thorax behind the head, abbreviated as T1.

pupa
the life stage of a holometabolous insect that follows the larval stage and within which metamorphosis occurs.

sclerotized
a hardened area of the skin.

scolus (pl. scoli)
a spine with multiple points.

semilooper
the caterpillar of plusiine noctuids.

setae
hairs.

silk gland
a silk-excreting gland in caterpillars on the underside of the labium.

spiracle
the opening of the respiratory system located along the lateral side of the body.

stemma (pl. stemmata)
the eyes on the head capsule, also called eyespots.

subdorsal
the body area part way between dorsal and lateral.

sublateral
the area below the lateral region of a body part.

subspiracular
the body area immediately below the spiracles.

triordinal
the tips of the crochets occur in a pattern of three rows.

triserial
the base of the crochets occur in a pattern of three rows.

uniordinal
the tips of the crochets occur in one row.

uniserial
the base of the crochets occur in one row.

univoltine
one generation per year.

urticating
stinging (hairs).

venter
the underside of the body.

ventral
the area on the underside of a body part.

warts
small bumps or short finger-like projections extending from the body wall.