apterous adjective - wingless, usually refers to a particular form of an insect that may have wings, or a wingless species in a group that typically has wings, for instance many orthoptera (grasshoppers and allies) and hymenoptera (wasps). In some groups one sex may be apterous, and the other is winged, e.g., Mutillidae - Velvet Ants. In other cases a particular form of an insect (but not all individuals) will be apterous, e.g., some Tetrigidae ( Pygmy Grasshoppers).

Photos illustrating the apterous condition:

apterogyte(s) (or as a group, apterygota) refers to the orders of insects that lack wings at all stages (also called ametabola), includes:

Zygentoma - Silverfish

Microcoryphia - Bristletails

See Also

wing

apterous

brachypterous

micropterous

macropterous

Print References

Gordh, A Dictionary of Entomology, p. 70 (1)

Internet References

Jardine's Dictionary of Entomology

Wikipedia--Apterygota

Works Cited

1.	A Dictionary of Entomology By George Gordh, David H. Headrick

Contributed by Cotinis on 17 May, 2007 - 2:58am
Last updated 13 June, 2008 - 3:19am

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