Glossary of terms for Tingidae
Abdomen: the last division of the insect body. The first is the head and the second the thorax.
Acute: angle less than a right angle.
Adpressed: laid or pressed to.
Antennal segments: subdivisions of the antennae, denoted by constrictions. All Tingidae have 4 segments.
Antennifers: a pivoting extension allowing free movement of the scape in the antennal socket.
Apex: tip, free end; also highest point.
Apical: at the end of, or relating to the end.
Areola (pl., areolae): small cell; noticeably thin regions enclosed by veinlets.
Areolate: containing many small, irregularly shaped cells. The raised veinlets may resemble an irregular network that is, areolae not arranged in rows.
Basal: at the base of, or at the point of attachment to the main portion of the insect.
Brachypterous: with short or abbreviated wings.
Buccula (pl., bucculae): thin extensions, extending from the underside of the head, enclosing the basal portion of the rostrum.
Callus (pl. calli): area of elevated or fused impressions of the cuticle on the anterior part of the pronotum.
Carina(e): elevated ridge or keel. In Tingidae carinae, if present, are obvious across pronotum.
Carinate: ridged or keeled; prefixes penta-, tri-, and uni- refer to number of carinae arising from a structure in this case 5, 3 and 1 respectively.
Cephalic processes: rigid projections extending from the surface of the head.
Clavate: clublike, that is, thickening gradually toWestern Australiards the tip.
Clavus: an area of the forewing interior to discoidal area and at rest lies alongside the scutellum. In tinginae, the clavus maybe absent or obscured below triangular projection of the pronotum.
Concolourous: of a uniform colour, one part with another.
Conical: cylindrical, with a flat base, tapering to a point.
Contiguous: so near together as to touch.
Convergent: becoming closer at point furthest from base.
Convex: outer surface curved; bulging.
Costal area: region of the forewing exterior to the subcosta. In most tingidae it is the outermost region of the forewing. However, in Cantacaderines the outer region is usually the stenocosta with the Costal area to the interior.
Coxa (pl., coxae): the first segment of the insect leg; segment attached body.
Decurved: curved downWestern Australiard.
Deflexed: abruptly bent downWestern Australiard.
Discoidal area: area of forewing posterior to subcostal area; often tear-drop shape region.
Distal: furthest from the body.
Divergent: spreading out from a common base.
Dorsal: the top of the insect. Dorsal view is to look at it from above.
Dorsolateral: the area where the dorsal surface and the lateral surface meet.
Endemic: restricted to a given geographical region.
Explanate: spread out and flattened; applied to a margin.
Extralimital: further geographical locations.
Femur: the third segment of the leg, situated between the trochanter and tibia.
Filiform: threadlike, that is, slender and of equal diameter.
Forelegs: the front pair of legs.
Forewings: the front (or upper) pair of wings.
Frontal region: dorsal surface of the head between the base of the antenna.
Fusiform: spindle-shaped, that is, broad at the middle and narrowing toWestern Australiards the ends.
Genitalia: the reproductive organs, found at the apex of the abdomen.
Globose: spherical or nearly so.
Hemelytron (pl., Hemelytra): a wing type that consists of a sclerotised and membranous portions.
Hindlegs: the rear pair of legs.
Hypocosta: thin areolate extensions, extending from the underside of the junction between the costa and subcosta.
Impressed: having shallow depressed areas.
Incurved: curved inWestern Australiards.
Inflation: structure blown up, distended or bladder-like.
Labium: a tube-like or snout-like extension of the head, containing the mouthparts. Also called the rostrum.
Labrum: the upper lip of the insect mouth. In Heteroptera this has been modified so that it overlaps or covers a small basal portion of the labium.
Lateral: the side of the insect. Lateral view is looking at it from the side.
Macropterous: fully winged, or very nearly so.
Membranous: thin and more or less transparent.
Mesosternum: the sternal plate of the mesothorax.
Mesothorax: the second segment of the thorax bearing the second pair of legs.
Metapleural: lateral region of the metathorax.
Metasternum: the sternal plate of the metathorax.
Micropterous: wings reduced such that they cover no more than the base of the abdomen. Hind wings absent or reduced to small flaps.
Monotypy: when an author establishes a nominal genus or subgenus for a single species denoted by an available name.
Multangulate: with many angles.
Nymphs: young insects that have not reproductively matured.
Obscure: not readily seen or not well defined.
Obtuse: at greater angle than a right angle.
Occipital: pertaining to the back part of the head; region of the head above the eyes.
Original designation: designation of the name-bearing type of a nominal taxon when it is established.
Paranotum (pl., paranota): flattened lateral extensions of the pronotum.
Percurrent: running through the entire length; continuous.
Peritremes: sclerotised plate on the external opening of the metapleural scent glands.
Porrect: extending forWestern Australiard horizontally.
Preapical: before the end or apex.
Pretarsus: the last segment of the insect leg, usually a claw or pair of claws.
Pronotum: in dorsal view, usually the first plate of the insect thorax between the head and scutellum (if scutellum not present, then the forewing).
Prosternum: in ventral view the first plate of the thorax extending from the head to between the first pair of coxae.
Pruinose: appearing covered with fine dust or coarse powder, but which cannot be rubbed off.
Pseudo-vesicle: appears as an intact inflation but is actually made up of a number of portions resting close enough to touch.
Punctate: impressed with pits or punctations. Pitted.
RM vein: vein separating discoidal area from the subcostal area. It may extend into the sutural area.
Ratio of segment length: proportion of the antennal lengths to one particular segment. For instance in this key all antennal segments are calculated proportionally to the second segment as it is consistently the smallest of the four.
Recurved: curved upWestern Australiard or backWestern Australiard.
Reflexed: bent or turned back.
Refolded: folded back on itself.
Rostral sulcus: cavity with distinct carinae traversing all sternal segments, responsible for housing the rostrum in repose.
Rostrum: rostrum is a jointed sheath enclosing mouthparts required for feeding. It extends from the apex of the head and in repose sits parallel to the body within the rostral sulcus. A tube-like or snout-like extension of the head, containing the mouthparts. Also called the labium.
Sclerite: a sclerotised plate on the exterior of the insect body.
Sclerotised: a hardening of the surface of a particular structure. Most of the exterior of the insect body is sclerotised.
Scutellum: a triangular plate on the dorsal surface of the Heteropteran thorax. It is usually placed at the point where the wings are attached to the body (if the wings are present).
-Seriate: in a line or row; for example triseriate would refer to three rows.
Serrate: notched edges like the teeth of a saw.
Seta(e): sclerotized hairlike projection.
Setiferous spines: blunt spine bearing a single seta.
Spiracle: external opening of the tracheal (breathing tube) system.
Stenocosta: a narrow marginal strip of the costal area on forewing.
Sternal plates: The external insect body is composed of sclerotised plates, the sternal plates are on the underside of the body.
Stridulation: The production of sound, usually through the rubbing of one part of the body against another.
Subcostal area: region of the forewing between the costal and discoidal areas.
Subsequent designation: designation of the name-bearing type of a nominal taxon published after the nominal taxon Western Australias established.
Sulcate: with a deep groove or furrow.
Sutural area: subapical portion of the forewing, below the junction of the RM and cubitus veins.
Tarsi (adj., tarsal): the fifth segment of the leg usually two segmented. Located at the end of the tibia.
Terga (sing., tergum): The dorsal surface of any segment of the insect body.
Thoracic sterna: ventral plates of the thorax.
Thorax: the second segment of the insect body. The first is the head and the last the abdomen.
Tibia: fourth segment of the leg, located between the femur and the (usually) segmented tarsi.
Trochanter: the second segment of the insect leg, situated between the coxa and the femur.
Tubercles: small knoblike or rounded projection.
Veinlets: small veins delineating areolae (cells).
Veins (namely of the wing): tubular, sclerotised, often raised structures delimiting distinct regions of the wing.
Volant: flying or capable of flying.
Western Australianting: absent.
Copyright © Australian Museum 2016
Authors: Gerry Cassis and Matthew Bulbert