Invertebrate body structure
A group of terms all related to the various parts of an invertebrate's body.
Terms in this group
one of the three main body parts of an insect and one of the two main body parts of spiders.
- Acrostichal Bristles
bristles found on the top of the thorax of some flies.
the reproductive organ of male insects.
scales on the wings of male butterflies and moths which produce scent.
paired sensory organs on the head of insects.
a bristle found on the antennae of some species of fly.
invertebrate animals that have a jointed exoskeleton.
- Asynchronous muscle
muscle that contracts more than once per nerve impulse.
the point at which thoracic muscles attach to the wing of an insect.
- Book lung
the main respiratory organ in many arachnids.
a term used to describe an animal with short or reduced wings.
a membranous flap that is located at the base of the wing in some species of fly.
the anterior most of the two body sections of an arachnid.
paired appendages on the abdomen of many insects.
pincers or claws at the end of arachnid or crustacean appendages.
a tough, translucent material found in arthropod exoskeletons.
the final segment in the leg of an insect.
one of the plates forming the 'face' of an insect.
- Compound eye
the main visual organ in insects.
tubular projections from the abdomen of an aphid.
a region or vein at the front of an insect's wing.
the first segment (closest to the body) of an insect leg.
part of an insect's gut. The crop is often used as a temporary store for food.
a triangular region found on the fore wings of some Hemiptera.
a phrase used to describe the legs of some insects and other invertebrates that are modified for running.
part of the external skeleton of arthropods.
- Direct flight muscles
direct flight muscles are muscles connected to the wing of an insect.
- Discal cell
a cell in the wing of some insects.
the part of an appendage (leg, wing, antenna etc) that is farthest from the body.
the upper surface of an organism.
moulting of the arthropod cuticle.
the hardened fore wings of beetles and earwigs.
A lobe or spine between the tarsal claws of many insects.
a projection from an insect's tenth abdominal segment.
a skeleton that is on the outside and encases all the muscles and organs of an organism.
markings on an insect, usually the wings, that have a similar appearance to a mammalian eye. Commonly used to scare off potential predators.
the hexagonal face on the ommatidia within a compound eye.
hollow, pointed structures attached to the chelicerae of spiders that are used to deliver venom. Centipedes also possess fangs but these are different in structure.
part of the insect leg between trochanter and tibia.
a term used to describe thin, thread-like antennae.
a phrase used to describe the legs of some insects and other invertebrates that are modified for digging.
an area in the compound eye that provides greater visual acuity than the rest of the eye.
a row of bristles used to connect the fore and hind wings in some insects.
the swollen section of a Hymenopteran abdomen.
an insect's tongue.
the main digestive organ in insects.
the blood filled body cavity of many invertebrates.
a modified wing that is reduced to form a 'drum stick' shaped balance organ.
the anterior most of the three main body parts of an insect.
- Hydrostatic skeleton
a type of exoskeleton supported by fluid pressure.
- Indirect flight muscles
indirect flight muscles do not attach directly to the wing of an insect. Flapping is accomplished by deforming the shape of the thorax.
the outer covering of an insect's body.
- Johnstons organ
a sensory organ used to detect sound near the base of the antenna.
an area of the fore wing in some insects that overlaps the hind wing and holds them together.
- Juvenile hormone
a hormone that inhibits development of a juvenile insect to an adult.
an insect's lower lip.
an insect's upper lip.
the side of an organism.
- Malpighian tubules
the main excretory system of insects and some other invertebrates.
a pair of mouthparts used for biting or cutting in Arthropods.
part of an insect's mouthparts. They are paired and used to hold or manipulate food.
ocelli are simple light detecting organs.
a raised structure on the body of an Opilione that contains the eyes.
the individual unit within an insect's compound eye.
female reproductive organ that produces eggs.
a tube that is used for laying eggs.
the thin structure connecting the thorax and abdomen.
appendages attached to the cephalothorax of arachnids.
an array of hairs or bumps used to trap air next to the body of some aquatic insects where it forms a physical gill.
- Pollen basket
a structure on the legs of bees in which pollen is carried.
an elongated feeding tube attached to the head of an animal.
a plate-like cover of the first thoracic segment.
a dark pigmented spot on the leading edge and towards the tip of the wing in some species of insect.
Lobes or pads between the tarsal claws of many insects that help the insect stick to a surface.
a cell in the wing of a damselfly.
an important vein within the fore wings of insects.
a phrase used to describe the grasping fore legs of some insects and other invertebrates.
- Reflex bleeding
a defensive behaviour in some insects where a noxious fluid is exuded by the insect when threatened.
a snout-like projection from the heads of some insects.
a phrase used to describe the legs of some insects and other invertebrates that are modified for jumping.
an organ that produces silk. Spinnerets are possessed by spiders and some species of insect.
openings on the thorax and abdomen of insects that allow the insect to breathe.
a sharp organ used by some invertebrates to deliver venom.
the act of producing sound, usually by rubbing two body parts together.
- Subesophageal ganglion
a mass of nerve cells that control the mouthparts of insects.
- Synchronous muscle
a type of muscle that beats once per nerve impulse.
the term used to describe each of the three main divisions of an insect's body.
sections within the tarsus - the final segment in the leg of an insect.
the final segment in the leg of an insect.
the thickened fore wing of some insects.
one of the three main body parts of an insect.
the fourth segment of an insect's leg.
fine hairs that cover the bodies of some insects.
tubes attached to the spiracles allowing oxygen to diffuse into an insect's body.
thin tubes attached to the trachea within the body of an insect and permit gaseous exchange.
hair-like structures of arachnids and some insects that are used to detect vibration.
the second segment of an insect's leg.
a cicada's sound producing organ.
- Tympanal organ
the hearing system of insects.
- Uric acid
a waste substance excreted by insects and many other terrestrial animals.
- Urticating hairs
defensive hairs possessed by some arachnids and insects that cause itching and irritation in mammals.
structures that support an insect's wing.
the arrangement of veins in an insect's wing. Venation is very important in the identification of insect species.
the lower surface of an organism.
- Wing bud
flattened structures possessed by nymphs from which the wings will develop in the adult insect.
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