Index of Glossary Terms

Definitions For Glossary Terms

SCAPE: The first or basal-most segment of the antenna, which articulates with the head by the radicle. [drawing]
SCAPULA See mesoscutal lateral lobe
SCAPULAR FLANGE: Region (often slender) of the mesoscutal lateral lobe that is differentiated between the axillae and lateral lobe when the axillae are advanced. [drawing][photo]
SCLERITE: Any plate of the body wall bounded by membrane or sutures.
SCROBAL CAVITY See scrobal depression
SCROBAL CHANNEL See scrobal depression
SCROBAL DEPRESSION: Depression on the upper face composed of the two scrobes, sometimes called the scrobal cavity or scrobal channel. [drawing][photo]
SCROBAL SULCUS: Inverted V- or Y-shaped grooves on the upper face of many eulophids in the same position as the scrobes, which unite dorsally and, if inverted Y-shaped, continue dorsally as a median sulcus toward the anterior ocellus (see also frontofacial sulcus). [photo]
SCROBE: Depression on the upper face immediately above each torulus for reception of the antennal scape, the pair of depressions are often united dorsomedially into a single scrobal depression. [drawing]
SCROBIS See scrobe
SCUTAL SUTURE See transscutal articulation
SCUTELLAR SUTURE See scutoscutellar suture
SCUTELLAR-AXILLAR COMPLEX: Region of the mesonotum posterior the transscutal articulation; often simply referred to as the scutellum, but composed of the scutellum and axillae. [drawing]
SCUTELLUM: Posteromedian, usually more or less teardrop or shield-like region of the mesonotum posterior to the transscutal articulation between the axillae. [drawing]
SCUTOSCUTELLAR SUTURE: Groove or line that separates the axillae from the scutellum (see also transscutal articulation). [drawing][photo]
SECOND ABSCISSA OF RADIAL SECTOR (RS2) SETAL LINE: In Trichogrammatidae, a setal line that extends diagonally from the uncus toward the anteroapical margin of the wing; in literature on Chalcididae this setal line is designated as the RS1. [drawing]
SECOND AXILLARY SCLERITE: One of three axillary sclerites of the forewing; typically a more or less triangular sclerite that articulates ventrally with the dorsal margin of the mesopleuron, mesally with the first axillary sclerite, and dorsoapically with the base of the submarginal vein. [photo]
SECOND BRANCH OF CUBITAL VEIN (CU2) SETAL LINE: In Trichogrammatidae, used for a longitudinal setal line near the posterior margin of the wing that is termed the cubital setal line or cubital vein in other chalcids. [drawing]
SECOND GONAPOPHYSIS See second valvula
SECOND GONOCOXA See second valvifer
SECOND VALVIFER: Valvifer or gonocoxa of the ninth abdominal segment, which consists of a basal semicircular sheet and apically prolonged inner plate of the ovipositor, which is terminated by the ovipositor sheaths. [drawing]
SECOND VALVULA: Gonapophysis of the ninth abdominal segment, sometimes called the stylet sheath, which forms the dorsal part of the ovipositor stylets; in Chalcidoidea the second valvulae are separate basally for a short distance, where they are connected by the laminated bridge, but distally are fused; the fused portions consist of two asymmetric dorsolateral portions that overlap to a greater or lesser extent and that are connected by notal membrane; the second valvulae interlock ventrally with the cutting first valvulae through the olistheter and articulate basally with the inner surface of each semicircular sheet of the second valvifer. [drawing][drawing]
SECONDARY COMB See protibial comb
SEMICIRCULAR SHEET: Basal, more or less subtriangular or semicircularly expanded portion of the second valvula, which is continued apically as the inner plate of the ovipositor and to which muscles are attached for movement of the ovipositor stylets. [drawing]
SENSILLA AMPULLACEA See capitate peg sensillum
SENSILLA PLACODEA See longitudinal sensillum
SENSORY RIDGE See longitudinal sensillum
SERRATE: Having a saw-tooth like margin. [drawing]
SESSILE METASOMA: A metasoma that is broadly attached to the mesosoma, that is, without a distinct constriction between the two regions (see also petiolate metasoma). [photo]
SETA: Hair-like sensory structure that is articulated basally; sometimes called a trichoid sensillum (see also longitudinal sensillum). [photo]
SETAL LINE: General term for setae that are aligned into a distinct row on the forewing disc. [drawing]
SETAL TRACK See setal line
SIDE LOBE OF MESOSCUTUM See mesoscutal lateral lobe
SIMPLE EYE See ocellus
SPATULATE: Spoon shaped (see also lanceolate and oval/ovate/ovo id).
SPECULUM: A bare region of the forewing immediately beyond the basal setal line behind the parastigma (see also linea calva). [drawing]
SPICULA See terminal spine
SPIRACLE: External opening in the body wall for a tracheal air tube, which forms part of the respiratory system of an insect; in most chalcids at least three sets of spiracles are visible, the mesothoracic spiracle, propodeal spiracle, and metasomal spiracle, as well as sometimes a metathoracic spiracle. [drawing]
SPIRACULAR SULCUS OF PROPODEUM See paraspiracular sulcus
STEMMATICUM: If encompassed by grooves, a median region on top of the head that bears the ocelli; sometimes called the ocellar area. [photo]
STERNAULAR AREA: Term sometimes used for an anteroventral region of the mesepisternum behind the procoxa, anterior to and below the femoral depression, if delineated by an oblique groove that likely is homologous with the transepisternal line/sulcus (see also epicnemium). [photo]
STERNAULUS See transepisternal line/sulcus
STERNOPLEURAL SUTURE: Term sometimes used for a line or sulcus on the mesothorax that seems to differentiate a pleuron and sternum, thus the term has been used for both the transepisternal line/sulcus and for the ventral part of the acropleural sulcus in chalcids with a greatly enlarged subalar area (acropleuron).
STERNUM: Sclerite that forms part of the ventral surface of the thorax and abdomen, except for the mesothorax where the mesopleura are thought to meet at the midline or discrimen. [drawing]
STIGMA: More or less knob-like enlargement at the apex of the stigmal vein. [drawing]
STIGMAL VEIN: Portion of the forewing vein complex that projects into the wing membrane from the apex of the marginal vein; measured from the point at which the stigmal vein and postmarginal vein unite, apically to where the vein appears to end. [drawing]
STIPES: (pl., stipites) Normally the largest section of the maxilla, which bears the maxillary palpus, galea and lacinia, and which is greatly enlarged in some chalcids. [drawing] [photo][drawing]
STRIGIL: Modified first tarsal segment of the front leg, consisting of a ventrobasal emargination, the basitarsal notch, in which there is a row of modified setae, the basitarsal comb, which together with the calcar forms an antennal cleaning organ. [photo]
STYLET SHEATH: Term sometimes used for the composite structure of the fused second valvulae.
STYLETS See ovipositor stylets
SUB-: Prefix meaning under, near to, or about equal to, e.g. sublateral. [drawing]
SUBALAR AREA: A small, often slightly convex dorsal region of the mesopleuron below the base of the forewing; sometimes called the acropleuron, particularly in families where it is enlarged to form most or all of the mesopleuron. [drawing][photo][photo]
SUBALAR PIT: A small 'hole' in the mesopleuron below the base of the forewing, which normally lies between and delimits the posterior margin of the subalar area from the anterodorsal margin of the mesepimeron; the subalar pit is external indication of a phragma. [photo]
SUBANTENNAL GROOVES/SULCI: Paired grooves or lines on the lower face between each torulus and mouth margin. [photo]
SUBCOSTAL SCALE See humeral plate
SUBCUBITAL FOLD: A slightly concave fold in the forewing that is adjacent to the posterior margin of the wing behind the cubital fold, which often is indicated only by a line of setae (see subcubital setal line); sometimes called the subcubital vein if pigmented. [drawing]
SUBCUBITAL SETAL LINE: A longitudinal line of setae on the ventral surface of the wing adjacent to its posterior margin behind the dorsal cubital setal line (see also anal vein (A) setal line as well as subcubital fold). [drawing]
SUBCUBITAL VEIN See subcubital fold
SUBEFFACED See obsolescent
SUBGENITAL PLATE See hypopygium
SUBLATERAL: Close to the lateral margin of the body or structure. [drawing]
SUBLATERAL GROOVE: In Eulophidae, paired longitudinal grooves very close to the sides of the scutellum that differentiate a lateral, usually more or less vertical scutellar region, the axillula, between the groove and the usually posteriorly sloping axilla (see also axillular groove/carina). [drawing][photo]
SUBMARGINAL VEIN: Basal-most portion of the forewing vein complex that occurs behind the costal cell; measured from the constriction that delimits the humeral plate to the point at which the vein touches the leading edge of the wing apically. [drawing]
SUBMEDIAL / SUBMEDIAN: Close to the longitudinal midline of the body or structure; synonymous with paramedial or paramedian. [drawing]
SUBMEDIAN AREA: Anteromedian region of the propodeum bounded laterally by the plicae and often posteriorly by the costula, and sometimes divided into paired regions by the median carina. [drawing] [photo]
SUBMEDIAN CARINA OF PROPODEUM: Longitudinal ridge on both sides of the propodeum near its midline (see also plicae). [photo]
SUBMEDIAN GROOVE: Paired longitudinal lines or grooves on the scutellum that are closer to the midline than to the sides (see also sublateral groove); sometimes called the submedian line. [drawing][photo]
SUBOCELLAR SULCUS: In male Eupelmidae, a vertical line of weakness or more distinct furrow between the anterior ocellus and apex of the interantennal area. [photo]
SUBOCULAR AREA: In Mymaridae, region of the lower face between the malar sulcus and preorbital suture. [photo]
SUBOCULAR SULCUS See malar sulcus
SUBPLEURAL AREA See mesosternal shelf
SULCUS: A linear groove on a sclerite that was derived secondarily for a functional reason; often used synonymously with suture because of uncertain homology.
SUPRACLYPEAL AREA: Median part of the lower face between the dorsal limit of the clypeus and the toruli. [drawing][photo]
SUPRACOXAL FLANGE: Posteriorly reflexed margin of the callus that projects over the base of the metacoxa. [drawing][photo]
SUPRAORBITAL SUTURE: In Mymaridae, suture on the top of the head that parallels the upper margin of each eye and that forms the outer margins of the supraorbital trabecula and vertex. [photo][photo]
SUPRAORBITAL TRABECULA: In Mymaridae, the thickened, often darker band of cuticle on the top of the head that is adjacent to and parallel with the upper margin of each eye, which anteriorly terminates at the juncture of the transverse trabecula and preorbital trabecula (see also supraorbital suture). [photo]
SUTURE: A linear groove on a sclerite that is external indication of the line of fusion of two formerly separate sclerites, but more often is used imprecisely as a synonym of sulcus.
SYNTERGUM: Term often used for the last metasomal tergum if this is a composite structure resulting from the fusion of the seventh and eighth metasomal terga; see also epipygium. [photo][drawing]