Copy of `University of Florida - Ant info`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

University of Florida - Ant info Category: Animals and Nature > Ants Date & country: 28/03/2012, USA Words: 88

Abdomen
the third section of the insect body (head, thorax, abdomen). In ants, the abdomen consists of the propodeum and metasoma (the petiole + gaster).

Alate
in ants and termites a winged, sexually mature individual.

Altitrunk (al-ti-trunk)
the region formed by the fusion of the thorax and propodeum and is the second visible region of the ant body; consists of the pro-, meso- and metathorax plus the propodeum.

Apterous (ap-ter-us)
wingless.

Arboreal (ar-bor-ee-ul)
nesting above ground in trees or shrubs.

Bilobed
divided into two lobes.

Brood
the immature members of the colony including eggs, larvae and pupae.

Budding
starting a new colony without swarming whereby reproductive(s) and a group of workers leave the original colony.

Caste (cast)
within a colony, any set of individuals having both a distinct form and specialized behaviors.

Club
enlarged antennal segments at the end of the antenna in some species.

Clypeal (cly-pee-ul)
refers to the clypeus - a sclerite (plate) on the lower part of the face located above the labrum.

Convex
curved outward.

Coxa
the first segment of the insect leg.

Cuticle
the non-cellular outer covering of the body wall of an insect.

Declivity (de-cli-vi-tee)
a downward-sloping surface.

Dimorphic (dye-mor-fic)
having two distinct forms; example

Dorsal
top or uppermost; referring to the back or upper side.

Entomologist
a scientist who studies insects.

Entomology (en-toe-ma-lo-gee)
the scientific study of insects.

Epinotal (eh-pee-no-tul)
located on the dorsal surface of the propodeum.

Epinotum
the upper surface of the altitrunk.

Extrafloral Nectary
a nectary (nectar-secreting structure) not associated with a flower.

Exoskeleton
the hardened integument of the insect that provides support for the muscles and body; literally an outer skeleton.

Family
one or more genera that share a common ancestor but are less closely related to each other than species within a genus.

Femur (fee-murr)
the third segment of the insect leg.

Filiform (fi-li-form)
a descriptive term for antennae that appear thread-like because the antennal segments are approximately the same diameter.

Floral Nectary
a nectary associated with a flower.

Formicinae (for-mi-sy-nee)
a sub-family of Formicidae with sting replaced by glands that secrete noxious chemicals.

Formic Acid
an acid (CHO2H) secreted from the poison gland of ants, used for defense.

Formicidae (for-mi-si-dee)
the Ant family, in the Order Hymenoptera.

Frontal Carina (ca-rye-na; plural
carinae [ca-rye-nee])

Gaster
the remaining abdominal segments after the waist or pedicel; the enlarged part of the abdomen that is usually referred to as the abdomen, proper.

Genus (jee-nuss, plural
genera (jeh-ner-ah)

Honeydew
a sugar-rich fluid excreted by plant sap-sucking insects (such as aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs).

Integument
the outer covering of the body.

Larva (plural
larvae [lar-vee])

Labrum
the uppermost of the mouthparts.

Maxillae ([max-il-lee]; singular
maxilla)

Maxillary Palps
small, feeler-like structures arising from the maxilla.

Mandibles (man-di-bulz)
the second set of mouthparts in insects; in layman's terms

Metamorphosis (me-ta-mor-fo-sis)
a change in form during insect development.

Mesopleuron (me-zo-plu-ron)
a sclerite (plate) located on the side of the middle section of the thorax (mesothorax).

Mesoepinotal (me-zo-e-pee-no-tul)
located midway on the propodeum.

Metasoma (me-ta-so-ma)
the body region consisting of the petiole and abdomen.

Medial
towards the middle.

Monomorphic (mah-no-mor-fic)
having only a single form; for example - ant species with all workers having the same form.

Molt
the casting off of the outgrown skin (exoskeleton) during growth.

Myrmicinae (murr-mi-sy-nee)
sub-family of Formicidae with petiole and post-petiole (2 nodes), workers rarely have ocelli.

Myrmecology (murr-meh-cah-lo-gee)
the scientific study of ants.

Nectary
a gland in flowers that secretes nectar, a sweet fluid.

Nectar
a sweet fluid secreted from a gland in flowers.

Node
a swollen or enlarged knob- or knot-like or rounded segment(s) between the gaster and propodeum.

Nocturnal
active at night.

Ocellus (oh-sell-us; plural
ocelli [oh-sell-ee])

Pathogen (pa-tho-jen)
a disease-causing organism or agent.

Petiole (pe-tee-ole)
the second abdominal segment; the segment directly behind the propodeum; followed by the post-petiole in some species.

Pedicel (pe-di-sel)
the waist of an ant; made up of either one segment (the petiole) or two segments (the petiole plus post-petiole); also, the second part of the antenna from the scape outward.

Pheromone (fair-oh-moan)
a chemical substance or blend of substances secreted by an organism and elicits a response by a member of the same species.

Pilosity (pie-lah-si-tee)
longer, stouter hairs or setae standing above the smaller, finer hairs.

Plumose (plu-mose)
feather-like in appearance.

Polymorphic (pah-lee-mor-fic)
having more than two distinct forms.

Post-petiolar (post-pe-tee-oh-ler)
immediately following the petiole.

Ponerinae (pah-nur-eye-nee)
sub-family of Formicidae with body heavily sclerotized (hardened with a protein called sclerotin), first gastral segment constricted.

Protuberance
a non-cellular formation arising from a flat surface; a bulge or bump.

Propodeum (pro-po-dee-um)
the first abdominal segment of ants; it is fused to the thorax and is immovable.

Pubescence (pyew-beh-sense)
exceptionally short, fine hairs on the body surface.

Pupa (pyew-pa; plural
pupae [pyew-pee])

Queen
the principal female reproductive of the colony (in some species).

Satellite Colony or Satellite Nest
colony forming away from the main body of the colony but still remaining connected with it.

Sclerite (sclair-ite)
a general term for any single plate of the exoskeleton.

Scape
the first segment of the antenna; the elongated antennal segment that is attached to the head.

Scrobe
the groove or impression, on either side of the head, above or below the eye where the scape and sometimes the entire antenna can be protectively placed or folded.

Serrate (sair-rate)
with teeth along the edge; saw-like.

Soldier
a member of the caste within the colony that is specialized for colony defense.

Species
a group of similar organisms whose members can breed with one another to produce fertile offspring.

Sub-petiolar Process
a projection arising from the underside of the petiole.

Sub-family
genera within a family sharing similar characteristics and forming a natural division - but not different enough to form a distinct family.

Swarming
in ants, colony reproduction in which alates fly from the nest to mate and establish a new colony.

Tarsus (plural
tarsi (tar-see)

Thorax
the second section (tagma) of the insect body.

Tibia
the fourth segment of the insect leg, located between the femur and tarsus.

Trophic Egg (tro-fic)
a special type of egg, usually non-fertile, produced for consumption; used by the White-Footed Ant.

Trochanter (tro-can-ter)
the short, second segment of the insect leg, between the coxa and femur.

Vector
an organism that transmits a pathogen from one host to another.

Ventral
referring to the underside or bottom surface.

Vertex
the top of the head, between the eyes.

Waist
another term for the petiole.

Worker
a member of the non-reproductive, laboring caste.