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Abdomen |
The abdomen is this rearmost part of the three main body divisions of an insect, situated behind the head and the thorax |
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Aberration |
A genetic or environmentally produced variant on the usual form of a species, e.g. very cold conditions can produce dark forms of some species. |
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Abiotic |
A non-living chemical and physical factors in an environment, such as light, water, pressure, temperature, sound waves and rocks.
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Acervulus |
A mat of hyphae bearing short conidiophores packed closely together. |
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Achene |
Non-splitting, one-seeded dry fruit. |
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Achlorophyllose |
Without chlorophyll. |
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Acicular |
Having the form of a needle. |
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Acidophile |
Preferring to grow in acid soils. |
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Acorn |
The nut of an oak tree that typically contains a single seed. |
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Actinomorphic |
Radially symmetrical or having more than one plane of symmetry. |
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Acuminate |
Tapering to a long point at the apex. |
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Adnate |
(Of a gill profile) attached to stem by the full depth of the gill. |
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Adnexed |
(Of a gill profile) attached to stem by a narrower amount than the full depth of the gill. |
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Adpressed |
Closely flattened against/onto a surface |
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Adventitious |
Roots and buds that appear on a stem in abnormal places.
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Aeciospore |
Dikaryotic spore of a rust fungus produced in an aecium; in heteroecious rusts, a spore stage that infects the alternate host. |
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Aecium (pl. aecia adj. aecial) |
The fruiting body of a rust fungus in which the first dikaryotic spores (aeciospores) are produced. |
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Aedeagus |
The male Butterfly's mating organ. |
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Aerobic |
Any living thing that is lives or occurs only in the presence of oxygen and has a oxygen-based metablosim |
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Aestivation |
Dormancy during really hot, dry periods. |
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aethalium (pl. aethalia) |
a large, plump, pillow-shaped fruiting body of certain myxomycetes, formed by the aggregation of plasmodia into a single functional mass. |
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Agaric(ales) |
Generic term for gill-bearing fungi |
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Aigrette |
Aigrettes are the long and loose breeding feathers of birds such as herons and egrets that are typically used for courtship displays. |
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Air Sac |
A structure unique to the respiratory system of birds. Air sacs are thin-walled structures and through which air flows as the bird breathes. Air sacs enable air to flow in one direction through the... |
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Airfoil |
The airfoil around a bird's wing enables it to create lift due to the difference in airflow over the upper and lower surfaces. |
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Alate |
Having wings; winged. |
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Albinism |
A complete lack of pigmentation. |
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Albino |
Plant lacking pigmentation. |
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Alkaline |
Calcareous or chalky substrates. |
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Allantoid |
(of spores) curved as in sausage shape |
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Alliaceous |
Smelling or tasting of garlic or onions. |
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Allogamy |
Fertilisation by pollen from flowers of the same species. |
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Allopatric |
Not occurring together, as in two or more species whose territories do not overlap, resulting in geographically isolated areas that are unable to freely exchange genes. |
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Alternate |
Leaves occurring singly on opposite sides of the stem, rather than in pairs. |
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Altricial |
Refers to mammals that are born requiring close paternal care, such as Rabbits, whereas the young of Hare (leverets) don't, they are precocial. |
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Alula |
Three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. |
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alveolae |
small hollows in a surface. |
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Amnion |
A thin membrane that encloses the embryo in an egg
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Amorphous |
Lacking clear structure |
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amygdaliform |
(of spores) Almond shaped |
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Amyloid |
Turning blue/blue-black in iodine solution such as melzer's reagent |
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Anal |
Pertaining to the last abdominal segment, which bears the anus. |
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Anal Fold |
A portion of the hind wing that folds against the Butterfly's abdomen when at rest. |
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Anastomosing |
Fused together in a vein-like network; used to describe mushroom gills that are interconnected with veins
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Androconica |
Modified wing scales on Butterflies and Moths that produces pheromones. Only males have these scent scales that are used to attract females |
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Anemophilous |
Pollinated by the wind. |
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Annuals |
Annuals refers to wildflowers that grow for a single season. They usually grow quickly from seed, then often bloom for a couple of months, before dying off with the first hard frost. |
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Annular |
Ring-shaped. |
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Annulus |
Ring around stem, remnant of partial veil covering young emergent sporophore* |
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Antennae |
The sensory appendages (feelers) on the apex of the Butterfly's head that are used for sense of smell and balance. |
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Anterior |
Towards the head (front) of the Butterfly. |
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Anther |
The male organ of a flowering plant, the head of the stamen. |
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antheridium |
male sexual organ (male gametangium) found in some fungi |
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Anthocynanins |
The pigments producing purple or red colours. |
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Anthoxanthins |
The yellow pigments in plants. |
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Apex |
The top, highest part. |
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Aphyllous |
Without leaves. |
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Apical |
Apical means towards, or at, the apex (the top or uppermost point). |
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Apical |
At the tip. |
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Apical |
Towards the apex |
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Apiculus |
(of spores) a short projection at the base |
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Apiculus |
The bent tip of the antenna in Skippers. |
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aplanospore |
A non-motile spore |
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Apochromy |
Having abnormal colouration. |
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Apomictic |
Relating to a plant that reproduces by apomixis. Hawkweeds are apomictic and consist of a huge number of microspecies. |
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Apomixis |
Seed development without fertilization. Therefore a type of asexual reproduction. |
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Aposematic Colouration |
This is the bright colouring of the Butterfly's wings that protects it from predators. |
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apothecium (pl. apothecia) |
open, cuplike or saucer like, ascus-bearing fungal fruiting body (ascocarp), often supported on a stalk |
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Appendiculate |
Fringed with remains of the veil |
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Applanate |
Flattened |
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Aptera |
Primitive wingless insect group. |
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Apterous |
Without wings |
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Aquatic |
Living in, or frequenting, water |
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Arboreal |
Animals that primarily live in trees. |
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Arbuscules |
Miniscule, tree-like hyphal branching structures produced within host plant cells by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi |
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Arch |
Arch is often used to describe a bridge of bone in the skull, such as 'zygomatic arch' |
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Archaeophyte |
An established plant believed to have been introduced by man before 1500 AD.
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Arcuate |
(of gill profile) with concave edge in side view |
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Arculus |
In adult Odonata, an arch-shaped vein that connects the radius and median near base of the wing, forming an elongate triangle between them. |
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Army |
Army is the collective noun for group of caterpillars or ants. |
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Arthrospore |
Asexual spore formed by the septation and fragmentation of a hypha |
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Articulate |
Consisting of segments united by joints. |
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ascomata |
structures bearing or containing asci |
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Ascomycetes |
Major group containing all fungi producing spores in asci which are liberated by pressure |
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Ascospore |
Reproductive cell (spore) of the acsomycete fungi |
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Ascus(pl. Asci) |
Microscopic elongated flask-shaped cell in which ascospores are produced |
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Asymbiotic |
When symbiotic fungi are absent. |
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Attenuate |
Gradually narrowed |
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Auricles |
Structures that are ear-shaped. |
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Auriculars |
Area around the ear-opening; a circle of feathers surrounding the opening of the ear of birds |
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Auris |
The ear; an opening to the ear canal which is covered in feathers and which is located behind and slightly below the eye. |
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Autogamous |
Self-pollinating. |
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Aves |
The taxonomic class for birds. |
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Axil |
The angle between the steb and branch or the branch and leaf. |
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Axillary |
Ventral area between the body and the wing. |
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Azonate |
Without zones or concentric markings |
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