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Psammophory
Psammophory is a method by which certain plants armor themselves with sand on their body parts making chances less for them to be eaten by animals. Over 200 species of plants hailing from 88 genera in 34 families have been identified as psammorphorous. The term was first proposed in 1989 by scientists studying the habits of the beetle '' Georissus'' which actively covers its elytra with sand or mud particles. References {{Reflist Botany ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Georissus
''Georissus'', also called minute mud-loving beetles, is the only genus in the beetle family Georissidae (or Georyssidae). They are tiny insects living in wet soil, often near water. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. Characteristics Georissidae are small beetles (length 1–2 mm). They have a broadly oval body whose outline is more or less interrupted between the pronotum and the elytra. The head and pronotum are granulate, the prosternum is rudimentary, without intercoxal processes. The anterior coxae and trochanters are fused. The basal ventrite is very large. Ecology Species are generally found within mud and sand at the periphery of rivers and streams, but also occur in tropical rainforest leaf litter. Species of ''Georissus'' are predators on invertebrates, and under laboratory conditions sometimes engage in cannibalism. Species within the genus are known for their habit of psammophory (actively covering their elytra with sand or mud) which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elytra
An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alternatively spelled as "hemielytra"), and in most species only the basal half is thickened while the apex is membranous, but when they are entirely thickened the condition is referred to as "coleopteroid". An elytron is sometimes also referred to as a shard. Description The elytra primarily serve as protective wing-cases for the hindwings underneath, which are used for flying. To fly, a beetle typically opens the elytra and then extends the hindwings, flying while still holding the elytra open, though many beetles in the families Scarabaeidae and Buprestidae can fly with the elytra closed (e.g., most Cetoniinae; ). In a number of groups, the elytra are reduced to various degrees, (e.g., the beetle families Staphylinidae and Ripiphoridae), or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
