Glossary

Campaniform sensilla: mechanorecepters that detect any stress to the cuticle

Cerci: paired appendages on the terminal abdominal segment of most arthropods. Varied uses ranging from the sensory system to defence

Chemoreception: detection of chemical stimuli

Chordotonal receptors: stretch receptors in insects. They are used to detect the position of the body, or, in tympanal organs, sound vibrations

Encapsulation: an immune response that results in surrounding a foreign body with hemocyctes

Gravid: a mated female bearing young

Hemocytes: cells of the arthropod immune system

Host: organism on which a parasite lives

Instar: a developmental stage of an arthropod

Mechanoreception: detection of an organism’s external and internal mechanical environments

Ommatidia: photoreceptor cells surrounded by support cells and pigment cells in the compound eye of arthropods

Photoreception: detection of visual stimuli

Parasite: an organism that lives at the expense of another

Parasitism: a living arrangement in which an organism lives on or in another

organism (host) at whose expense the parasite is maintained.

Parasitoid: an organism that lives at the expense of another resulting in death of the host organism

Phonotaxis: the ability to approach sound sources

Planidia: first instar Ormia larvae

Retinula: a cluster of pigmented sensory cells in the compound eye of an arthropod.

Trichoid sensilla: setae (stiff, hair-like) mechanoreceptors

Tympanum: membrane of the hearing organ in insects

Tympanal organ: hearing organ in insects. Consists of a tympanum and chordotonal receptors

Home