ecdysis                                 The shedding or casting off of an outer coat, moulting.

eclosion                               The act of emerging from the pupal case or hatching from the egg.

edge.                                     The exact edge of a structure. Contrasted with the word margin, which implies a beaded edge or bordered edge.

elbowed antenna                Antennae with a distinct bend, or angle, between two segments, usually the first and second.

elytral epipleuron.             See epipleuron.

elytral suture.                    The line formed when two elytra in folded or closed position meet along the midline.

elytron                                 (pl. Elytra). The fore wing in Coleoptera, which is more or less uniformly sclerotized and in resting position is longitudinally oriented, usually meeting the opposite elytron along the midline.

emarginate                        To deprive of a margin. Having the margin notched.

embolium                           Narrow region along the margin of the forewing in certain heteropteran bugs, separated by a groove.

empodium                         (of pretarsus). An articulated, sclerotized process, lying between the tarsal claws and bearing 2 or occasionally several setae. In a number of Coleoptera, the empodium is absent or reduced and not visible beyond the apical edge of the claw-bearing tarsomere.

endemic                              Belonging or native to a particular people or country.

endodont                            Mandibles with one or 2 teeth, curved inwards, their tips touching when closed.

endophallus                       The internal, extrusible portion of the penis, sometimes bearing spines, hooks or other sclerotized structures.

endopterygota                   Subdivision Endopterygota have immature post-ovum instars, except the last, are ‘larvae’ which differ markedly from the adult. Last immature instar, the ‘pupa’, practically always inactive and non-feeding.

epicranium                         The part dorsal and anterior to the occipital foramen, is divided into the occiput posterioly, and the vertex dorsally, the frontoclypeus anteriorly, and the genae laterally.

epimeron                             Posterior part of any side wall of the three thoracic segments.

epipharynx                          Part of many insect mouth parts attached to the posterior surface of thelabrum.

epipleuron                          (pl. epipleura)  (of elytron). A lateral, infolded portion of the elytra, which is deparated from the elytral disc by a distinct fold or carina and which usually fits against the lateral portions of the abdomen.

epiphysis                              A spur-like process on the foreleg of Lepidoptera. Used for grooming the antennae and proboscis.  [see picture]

epiproct                                Appendage arising from midline of last abdominal segment, just above the anus.

episternum                           Small, triangular lobe protruding under lateral lobe of the pronotum.

epistoma.                              See clypeus.

epistomal suture.                 See frontoclypeal suture.

eruca                                      Latin for caterpillar.

eruciform                              Hymenoptera – Symphyta, in reference to the larva, presumably suggesting that Apocrita are less caterpillar-like. Eruciform concerning larva-cylindrical with stumpy pseudopods at rear and

true thoracic legs at front-caterpillars.

eucone eye.                          Eye in which each ommatidium bears a crystalline cone just beneath the corneal lens.

exarate                                  With legs and wings free from the body.

excavate                                 Hollow seen in the coxa of many beetles, the coxa are hollow to allow the housing of the femora when the legs are folded.

exocone eye.                         Eye in which each ommatidium bears a cone-like, internal projection of the cornea, which thus forms a lens.

exodont                                  Mandibles with 3 to 4 teeth or lobes, usually directed outwards, their tips not touching when closed. cf endodont.

exoporian moths                   Lepidoptera in which the female has separate apertures for copulation and oviposition.

exuvia                                     Old cast off skin of an arthropod.  [see picture for hemiptera]

eye-cap                                   A covering over the eye formed from the base of the antennae, seen in certain small moths.

eye facet.                               Individual parts of the external surface of the compound eye; often convex but sometimes more or less flattened.