Glossary

Definitions

Abdomen

This is the rear most body section. It contains the reproductive structures of the insect. Click here for a diagram of a yellowjacket abdomen.

Compound eye

These are the pair of image forming optical units on either side of the compound eye. They are made of many optical subunits called ommatidia (singular ommatidium).

Genal area

This is the region on the side of the head between the lateral edge of the compound eye and the edge of the eye. The color in this region can be yellow broken by black in the center, or all yellow.

Head

The front body section. It contains many of the sensory structures (i.e. compound eyes, ocelli, and antennae) as well as the mouthparts. Click here for a diagram of a yellowjacket head.

Malar space

The distance from the bottom of the compound eye to the base of the mandible articulations.

Ocelli

(Singular ocellus) These are the three simple eyes found at the top of the head between the compound eyes.

Propodeum

The propodeum is found in Hymenoptera (the wasp order). It is the first abdominal segment which is closely associated with the thorax. Because of this, in Hymenoptera, the middle body segment is called the mesosoma since it contains three thoracic segments and the first abdominal segment. The rear body section is either called the gaster or the metasoma. It refers to the remaining abdominal segments.

Scape

The scape is the first antennal segment. It is the longest antennal segment.

Gastral sterna

(Singular sternum) These are the chitinous plates of the under side of a gastral segment.

Gastral terga

(Singular tergum) These are the chitinous plates of the upper side of a gastral segment.

Thorax

This is the middle body section of insects. The wings and legs are attached to segments of this section. Click here for a diagram of a yellowjacket thorax.

Vertex

This is the region of the top of the head between the rearmost ocelli and the back of the head.

Page author: Matthew P. Kweskin kweskm@evergreen.edu
Last modified: 2 Feb 1997