Diptera.info

scuttle fly

scuttle flies (synonym)

scutum

The mesonotum is composed of three parts: the prescutum (not differentiated in most Diptera, except for some Nematocera), the scutum and the scutellum. The largest of these three is the scutum which is usually divided by a suture in an anterior part and a posterior part, the presutural and postsutural areas, respectively.

Image courtesy of Japan Drosophila Database

sensu lato

"In a wide (taxonomic) sense" so, "genus Sarcophaga (sensu lato)" means including species which are in separate closely related genera in other taxonomic treatments. This should be explained fully in the text which follows the term, i.e. which genera are included. It is not the same as cf.

header=[cf.] body=[Latin, compare (with); for example, in respect of a determination: Anthomyia cf. pluvialis means that whilst the specimen compares well with pluvialis the determiner is not quite sure and suggests implicitely to compare it with a specimen with undisputed identification.<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

which means uncertainly identified.

sensu stricto

"In a narrow (taxonomic) sense" so, "genus Sarcophaga (sensu stricto)" means excluding species which are in separate closely related genera in other taxonomic treatments or species in the non-nominal subgenus: Sarcophaga (Sarcophaga) sp.

seta

Plural: setae. Structure on the surface of the insect body, often referred to as hairs or bristles. A seta may easily be lost but has a prominent socket (alveolus) which is raised on one side if the seta is slanted. Setae are usually connected to nerves and have a sensory function.

setae

seta (synonym)

sexual dimorphism

The systematic morphological difference between individuals of different sex in the same species.
This difference usually does not relate to the parts of the postabdomen, where male and female genitalia are always different. Often the differences between the sexes are not very great, for example, the distance between the compound eyes is different between male and female flies inmany groups (e.g., touching eyes in males of most Syrphidae, always separate in females); several midge groups have males with strongly plumose antennae while females have almost bare antennae.
Very striking differences may be in groups where males have developed seconday sexual characters, like ornamentation of legs (e.g., in many Dolichopodidae), head (e.g., some Tephritidae) or antennae (e.g., also in some Dolichipodidae); or in groups where females have developed characters to assist in choosing a mate (e.g., penate legs in Empididae) or specialised structures for oviposition (e.g., in Conopidae). In some extreme cases, mainly due to the life habits of species, the male and female may hardly resemble each other because one sex has a different life habit than the other (one sex living underground most of its life or on a certain host, the other free living). This may result in loss of wings and/or atrophiation of certain body parts in one of the sexes.

sexually dimorphic

sexual dimorphism (synonym)

sister taxa

sister taxon (synonym)

sister taxon

One of the two taxa header=[taxa] body=[taxon<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

on either side of a split in a cladogram header=[cladogram] body=[Graphic display of the result of a cladistic analysis; a diagram drawn up to show a hypothesis of relationships between different organisms, usually in the form of a branching tree. <br />
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladistics.<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

header=[cladogram] body=[Graphic display of the result of a cladistic analysis; a diagram drawn up to show a hypothesis of relationships between different organisms, usually in the form of a branching tree. <br />
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladistics.<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

. In practice: the taxon to which another taxon is more closely related than any other taxon. Usually refers to sister species, i.e., taxa at the species level.

small-headed flies

Vernacular name for the family Acroceridae.
Links: http://en.wikiped...croceridae;
http://groups.yah...croceridae.

soldier flies

Vernacular name for for the family Stratiomyidae.
Links: http://en.wikiped...atiomyidae (English version), http://de.wikiped...fenfliegen (German version)

species

Loose, practical definition: A group of individuals that can be recognised on the basis of shared morphological character traits and that resemble each other more than that they resemble inividuals with similar character traits.
One biological definition: A group of actually or potentially interbreeding populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups (Ernst Mayr, 1963).

There are many definitions of species, many relating to the field they are applied to (identification, ecology, phylogeny, evolution, etc.). Many of the different definitions would give different results as to the species status of some populations of organisms: a population might be considered a species in the view of a evolutionary species concept but not in the view of a biological species concept. In addition it should be noted that a definition applied to one groups of organisms might not be applicabale to another group of organisms; for example groups of different evolotionary origin (bacteria, plants, vertebrates, arthropods, etc.) or groups wiht different life histories (sexually interbreeding, parthenogenetic, etc.).

Links: http://en.wikiped...biology%29, related pages and links offer a very full discussion.

spine

1. Thorn-like process or outgrowth of the cuticula and part of it (without a joint). Example: the spines on the scutellum in many Stratiomyidae and in Simulium pupae 'tergite IX with 1 small seta and 1 short, slightly curved terminal spine'.
2. Large seta

header=[seta] body=[Plural: setae. Structure on the surface of the insect body, often referred to as hairs or bristles. A seta may easily be lost but has a prominent socket (alveolus) which is raised on one side if the seta is slanted. Setae are usually connected to nerves and have a sensory function.<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

seated in an alveolus. Example: in Heleomyzidae 'the wings often have small but distinctly longer, well-spaced spines mixed with the shorter spines along the leading edge'.

spinula

Plural: spinulae. Small spine

header=[spine] body=[1. Thorn-like process or outgrowth of the cuticula and part of it (without a joint). Example: the spines on the scutellum in many Stratiomyidae and in Simulium pupae 'tergite IX with 1 small seta and 1 short, slightly curved terminal spine'.<br />
2. Large seta seated in an alveolus. Example: in Heleomyzidae 'the wings often have small but distinctly longer, well-spaced spines mixed with the shorter spines along the leading edge'.<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

, usually on the leg.

spinule

spinula (synonym)

spur

Spine

-like process on the legs, usually on the tibia.

squama

calypter (synonym)

squamal fold

calyptral fold (synonym)

squamal fringe

calyptral fringe (synonym)

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