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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Glossary » E » elytron, elytra, elytral, elytrum

elytron, elytra, elytral, elytrum

Classification · Explanation of Names · Identification · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Underside of elytra - Oiceoptoma inaequale Pigweed Flea Beetle - Disonycha glabrata red-ab, red-pronotum rove - Olisthaerus substriatus Enoclerus - Enoclerus ichneumoneus Blood-necked Longhorn Beetle - Callimoxys sanguinicollis - female Chrysomelid - maybe Cryptocephalus? - Cryptocephalus guttulatus Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle? - Chilocorus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
No Taxon (Glossary)
No Taxon (E)
No Taxon elytron, elytra, elytral, elytrum
Explanation of Names
New Latin, from Greek elytron (ελυτρον) a case, sheath; compare Greek elyo, to wrap up (1).
Identification
elytron noun, plural elytra, adjective elytral - the wing cases; especially the hardened sheath-like fore-wings of Coleoptera (Beetles). Another singular form, less frequently used, is elytrum. In groups such as true bugs, where it is incomplete, it is called a hemelytron (plural hemelytra).

Additional photos of elytra in beetles:
  
See Also
elytron, elytra
hemelytron, hemelytra
wing
elytral suture
Print References
The Century Dictionary--entry for elytrum (1)
Internet References
Jardine's Dictionary of Entomology
Wikipedia: Insect wing
Works Cited
1.The Century Dictionary: an encyclopedic lexicon of the English language
Contributed by Hannah Nendick-Mason on 18 May, 2007 - 10:24am
Additional contributions by cotinis
Last updated 12 May, 2011 - 8:18am

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