Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
aestivate | to pass the summer in a state of torpor. |
aestivation | the act of spending the summer in a state of torpor. |
aestivator | an animal that aestivates. |
ametabolic | of insects, showing little or no metamorphosis. |
ametabolism | the lack of metamorphosis in insects. |
ametabolous | of insects, showing little or no metamorphosis. |
amphibiotic | having an aquatic larval form and a terrestrial adult form, as amphibians. |
anecdysis | a period between moults in arthropods. |
apatetic | of an animal's coloration or marking which closely resembles that of another species or of its surroundings. |
aposematic | giving warning, applied to coloration, odour, etc., of animals. |
aposematically | (Adv.) APOSEMATIC, giving warning, applied to coloration, odour, etc. |
autotomic | relating to autotomy, the reflex loss of part of the body to save the whole. |
autotomise | to effect an autotomy, the reflex loss of part of the body to save the whole (in lizards, etc.). |
autotomize | to effect an autotomy, the reflex loss of part of the body to save the whole (in lizards, etc.). |
autotomous | relating to autotomy. |
autotomy | the reflex loss of part of the body to save the whole (in lizards, etc). |
biomimicry | the mimicry of one living organism by another. |
bionomist | a student of bionomics, the study of organisms interacting in their environments. |
biorhythm | a periodic change in the behaviour or physiology of many animals and plants (eg hibernation and migration) mediated by hormones which are in turn influenced by changes in day-length. |
brachiator | an animal, such as a gibbon, that progresses by brachiation. |
cainogenesis | the state where adaptations to the needs of the young stages develop early, and disappear in the adult stage. |
cainogenetic | relating to cainogenesis, the state where adaptations to the needs of the young stages develop early, and disappear in the adult stage. |
caloricity | a faculty in animals of developing and preserving the heat necessary to life. |
camoufleur | (Fr.) a person or animal skilled in the art of camouflage. |
catadromous | of fishes, descending periodically for spawning to the lower parts of a river or to the sea. |
cryptobiont | any organism that exhibits cryptobiosis. |
cryptobiosis | a temporary state in an organism in which metabolic activity is absent or undetectable. |
diadromous | migrating between fresh and salt water. |
diapause | in insects and the embryos of some animals, a period of suspended animation and growth; (verb) to undergo or be in diapause. |
digitigrade | an animal that walks on the toes alone. |
dormancy | a period of suspended growth and metabolic activity. |
dorsigrade | walking on the back of the toes. |
dulosis | slavery practised by animals, esp ants. |
dulotic | relating to dulosis, enslavement as practised by ants. |
ecdysial | relating to ecdysis, the act of shedding, or casting off. |
ecdysis | (Greek) the act of molting or shedding an outer cuticular layer (as in insects and crustaceans). |
echolocation | determining the position of objects by means of supersonic vibrations echoed from them, as a bat does. |
eclose | to emerge, esp an insect from its egg. |
eclosion | emergence, as from a larva or egg. |
ectogenesis | variation in response to outside conditions. |
ectogenetic | produced by or characteristic of ectogenesis. |
endysis | the formation of new layers of integument after ecdysis. |
epimeletic | of a type of social behaviour in which the young are cared for by other individuals of the same species eg worker bees. |
epimorphic | relating to epimorphosis, a type of development in animals, such as certain insect larvae, in which segmentation of the body is complete before hatching. |
epimorphosis | a type of development in animals, such as certain insect larvae, in which segmentation of the body is complete before hatching. |
episematic | of coloration, assisting recognition between members of the same species. |
epizoic | living on the outside of an animal. |
epizoism | the state of being epizoic, living on the outside of an animal. |
epizoite | an epizoic organism. |
estivation | the act of spending the summer in a state of torpor. |
estivator | an animal that aestivates. |
etepimeletic | of a type of social behaviour shown by young animals to elicit epimeletic behaviour. |
ethogram | a description of an animal's behaviour. |
exuviation | the act of exuviating. |
feral | of a species which breeds in the wild but is derived from domesticated stock; (noun) a person who displays wild tendencies. |
ferine | of a species which breeds in the wild but is derived from domesticated stock. |
flehmen | of a mammal, to grimace with lips drawn back. |
geotactic | relating to geotaxis, the response of an organism to gravity. |
geotactical | relating to geotaxis, the response of an organism to gravity. |
geotactically | (Adv.) GEOTACTICAL, relating to geotaxis. |
geotaxis | (Greek) the response of an organism to gravity. |
geotropic | showing geotropism, a disposition to turn or incline towards the earth. |
geotropically | (Adv.) GEOTROPIC, showing geotropism, a disposition to turn or incline towards the earth. |
geotropism | a disposition to turn or incline towards the earth; the influence of gravity in determining the direction of growth of an organ. |
glabrescent | becoming naked or devoid of covering at maturity. |
haematocryal | of all animals except birds and mammals, having a body temperature that varies with the temperature of the surroundings. |
haematothermal | of birds and mammals, having a constant body temperature, usually higher than the temperature of the surroundings. |
heliotactic | relating to heliotaxis, the response of an organism to the sun's rays. |
heliotaxis | the response of an organism to the sun's rays. |
hematocryal | of all animals except birds and mammals, having a body temperature that varies with the temperature of the surroundings. |
hematothermal | of birds and mammals, having a constant body temperature, usually higher than the temperature of the surroundings. |
homeotherm | an organism that maintains the same temperature. |
homeothermic | keeping the same temperature, warm-blooded. |
homeothermy | the state of being homeothermic. |
homochromy | protective coloration. |
homoiotherm | keeping the same temperature, warm-blooded; (noun) a warm-blooded animal. |
homoiothermic | keeping the same temperature, warm-blooded. |
homoiothermy | the maintenance of a constant body temperature. |
homothermal | keeping the same temperature, warm-blooded. |
homothermic | keeping the same temperature, warm-blooded. |
homothermy | the maintenance of a constant body temperature. |
inquilinism | living in another's nest. |
katadromous | of fishes, descending periodically for spawning to the lower parts of a river or to the sea, opp to anadromous. |
larva | (Lat.) an immature free-living form of many animals that develops into a different adult form by metamorphosis. |
larval | of or like a larva. |
larviform | having the form or structure of a larva. |
larviparous | giving birth to larvae. |
metachrosis | the ability of animals to change colour. |
metamorphosis | a process of developmental change in insects whereby a larva reaches adulthood only after a radical change in morphology, often involving a pupa stage. |
metecdysis | the period following the moult (ecdysis) of an arthropod, when the new cuticle is forming. |
morphallaxis | regeneration in a changed form. |
neoteinia | prolonged retention of larval or immature characteristics or features in the adult form. |
neotenic | exhibiting neoteny, retention of infantile or juvenile characteristics into adulthood. |
neotenous | exhibiting neoteny, retention of infantile or juvenile characteristics into adulthood. |
neoteny | prolonged retention of larval or immature characteristics or features in the adult form. |
nidicolous | reared in a nest; sharing a nest. |
nidifugous | leaving the nest soon after hatching. |
phaeism | duskiness, incomplete melanism (in butterflies etc). |
phasic | relating to phasis, a morph. |
phasis | a stage in growth or development. |
photokinesis | motion or activity induced by light. |
photokinetic | relating to photokinesis. |
photonastic | related to photonasty, the adoption of a certain position due to the effect of light on growth. |
photonasty | the adoption of a certain position due to the effect of light on growth. |
photoperiod | the period during every 24 hours when an organism is exposed to daylight. |
photophil | an organism that seeks the light. |
photophilic | light-loving, turning towards the light. |
photophily | the state of being photophilic, light-loving, turning towards the light. |
phototaxy | movement of an entire organism in response to light. |
phototonic | relating to phototonus, the sensitivity of a living organism to light. |
phototonus | the sensitivity of a living organism to light. |
predatory | preying on other animals. |
procrypsis | protective coloration. |
procryptic | pertaining to or having protective coloration. |
procryptically | (Adv.) PROCRYPTIC, pertaining to or having protective coloration. |
pupate | to pass through a chrysalis stage. |
pupation | the act of becoming a pupa. |
spinigrade | moving by means of spines, as an echinoderm does; (noun) a type of spiny echinoderm. |
stereotaxic | relating to stereotaxis, the reaction of an organism to contact with a solid body. |
stereotaxically | (Adv.) STEREOTAXIC, relating to stereotaxis, the reaction of an organism to contact with a solid body. |
stereotaxis | the reaction of an organism to contact with a solid body. |
synaposematic | having a warning coloration common to a number of dangerous species in the same region. |
taligrade | walking on the outer side of the foot, as opposed to plantigrade. |
telotaxis | a taxis by which an organism orients itself in respect to a stimulus. |
tropotaxis | a taxis in which an organism orients itself by the simultaneous comparison of stimuli of different intensity operating on different end organs. |
vagile | having the ability to move about. |
xanthism | a condition of skin, fur or feathers in which yellow coloration predominates. |
xylotomous | of insects, wood-cutting or wood-boring. |
zeitgeber | (Ger.) an environmental cue, such as light, that helps to regulate the biological clock in an organism. |