Median space: in Lepidoptera, is the area between the median lines: in Odonata, the cubital cell (Comst.); the space at base between submedian (radius) and postcosta (st anal); by Selys in 1896 and later used in the sense of medial cell of Comst.
Median vein: in Odonata and Lepidoptera, = radius (Comst.): in Lepidoptera, it runs from base to about middle, nearly through centre, and is four or five branched: in Hymenoptera, it is the 3d from costal margin.
Mediastinal: relating to the longitudinal median line or area.
Mediastinal area: in Orthoptera, the area between median or mediastinal vein and the costal or front margin: = marginal area.
Mediastinal vein: in Orthoptera and Diptera, = suhcosta (Comst.): also, in Diptera, = auxiliary vein (Meigen).
Medio-eubital cross-vein: between media 4 and cubitus, connecting the two series (Comst.).
Medio-ventral line: in caterpillars, extends along middle of under side.
Medipectus: the under side of meta-thorax: the mesosternum.
Mediproboscis: the middle third of the flexed proboscis of muscid flies.
Medi-thorax: =mesothorax; q.v.
Medius: middle.
Mega- Megalo-: large.
Melanic: with a blackish suffusion.
Melanism: an abnormal or unusual darkening: a suffusion with blackish.
Mellifera: honey-makers: applied to bees as a whole.
Melliferous: honey-producing, or producers of honey.
Mellisugous: honey-sucking: a feeder on honey.
Member: any one of the external appendages.
Membranaceous: thin, skin-like, semi-transparent, like parchment: of a thin, pliable texture.
Membrana retinens: the stretched part of the membrane around the rectum of butterfly larvae, used in the change to the chrysalis.
Membrane -ana: any thin, transparent, flexible body tissue: specifically the wing tissue between the veins: in Heteroptera, the thin membranous tip of the hemelytra.
Membranous or eous: composed of membrane or skin-like tissue.
Membranule: the small opaque expansion at base of wings in Odonata.
Meniscoidal: with one side concave the other convex, like a round segment from a hollow sphere.
Menognatha: insects in which both young and adults feed by mandibles; e.g. the Orthoptera: see menorhyncha and metagnatha.
Menorhyncha: forms in which both young and adult take food by suction e.g. Hemiptera: see metognatha and metagnatha.
Mental suture: in Coleoptera, the line between mentum and gula.
Mentigerous: bearing or having a mentum.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology · The Wunder Library — complete classics, free to read, with narration.