Nomenclature
Nomenclature is the system of principles, procedures and terms related to naming - which is the assigning of a word or phrase to a particular object or property, in this case assigned to an appropriate taxon. Most of the of insects family nomenclature are based on the Ancient Greek name for wing, πτερόν (pteron), as the suffix -ptera.
| Scientific Name | linguistic root | Translation of the Scientific name | English Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anisoptera | ἀνισο- (aniso-) | Not equal | Dragonfly |
| Aptera | ἀ- (a-) meaning without | Wingless | Apterygotans, now obsolete |
| Apterygota | πτερύγιον (pterygion) (smaller) wing ἀ- (a-) meaning without |
Wingless | Apterygotans |
| Coleoptera | Κολεός (koleos, or a leather sleeve into which the sword was stuck) | Hardened wings | Beetles |
| Dermaptera | Δέρμα (derma as skin, leather) | leather wing | Earwigs |
| Diaphanopterodea | Διαφανής (diaphanes meaning transparent or translucent) | With transparent wings | diaphanopteroideans |
| Dictyoptera | Δίκτυον (diktyon, meaning network) | wings with netted venation | Cockroaches, mantids and termites |
| Diptera | Δύο- (dyo-, meaning two) | two wings | Flies |
| Embioptera | ἐ- (en as meaning inside) βίος (bios, meaning life | Interior living winged insects | webspinners |
| Endopterygota | ἐντός (entos as meaning inside) πτερύγιον or (smaller) wing | Inner wing | Insects of holometabola |
| Ephemeroptera | ἐφήμερος (ephemeros about one day long) | Day flying | Mayflies |
| Exopterygota | ἔξω (exo, or external) | Outdoor flying insects | Insects that undergo incomplete metamorphasis |
| Hemiptera | ἡμι- (hemi-, or half, semi-) | halfwinged insects | Hemiptera (bugs, leafhoppers, aphids, etc.) |
| Heteroptera | ἑτερο- (hetero- or different) | Different winged | Bugs |
| Homoptera | ὅμο- (homo- or same, similar) | Same winged | Leafhoppers, aphids, etc. |
| Hymenoptera | ὑμένιον (hymenion or -thin- membrane) | insects with wings with thin membranes | bees, ants, etc. |
| Isoptera | ἶσον (ison meaning equal) | Same winged | Termites |
| Lepidoptera | Λεπίς (lepis meaning scales) | Scaled wings | Butterflies & Moths |
| Lonchopteridae | Λόγχη (lonchi, meaning lance or spear) | Lance wing | Lance flies |
| Mecoptera | μῆκος (mekos or length) | Long wing | Snake flies, etc. |
| Megaloptera | Μεγαλο- (megalo- or simple large) | large wings | Mud flies |
| Neuroptera | νεῦρον (neuron meaning nerve, or vein) | Veined wing | Lacewings |
| Neoptera | νέος (neos new / young) | New wing | Includes all currently living orders of flying insects out of mayflies and dragonflies |
| Oligoneoptera | ὀλίγον- (oligon- meaning little) νέος (neos or new) |
New with little veins | Division of the Neoptera |
| Orthoptera | ὀρθο (ortho- meaning straight, correct) | straight wing | Grasshoppers and crickets |
| Palaeodictyoptera | Παλαιός (palaios- meaning old) δίκτυον (diktyon meaning network) |
old veined wings | primitive palaeozoic paleopterous insects |
| Palaeoptera | Παλαιόν (Palaion meaning old) | Old wings | Mayflies, etc. |
| Paraneoptera | Παρα- (Para-) νέος (neos meaning new) |
Neoptera with fake wings (Hemielytren, Paraelytren ...) | Bugs, earwigs ... |
| Phthiraptera | Φθείρ (phtheir meaning lice) ἀ, a- meaning without |
Lice without wings | Animal lice |
| Plecoptera | Πλέκειν (plekein meaning fold) | folded wings | Stoneflies |
| Polyneoptera | Πολύς (polys, meaning a lot of ) νέοςneosnew |
Many veined wings | Neopterans undergoing incomplete metamorphosis |
| Psocoptera | Ψώχω (psocho meaning to rub) | Rubing wings | Booklice |
| Pterygota | Πτερύγιον pterygion'(small) wing | Wing insects | In class, unlike Apterygota, including winged and wingless secondary systems |
| Raphidioptera | ῥαφίς (rhaphis meaning needle) | Needle wing | Snakeflies |
| Siphonaptera | Σίφων (siphon meaning suction or tube) ἀ- or without |
Wingless siphon | Fleas |
| Strepsiptera | Στρέψις (strepsis meaning to turn around) | Rotating or twisted wing | twisted-winged parasites |
| Thysanoptera | Θύσανοι (thysanoi meaning fringe) | Fring winged | Thrips |
| Trichoptera | Τρίχωμα (trichoma meaning hair) | Haired wing | Caddisflies |
| Zoraptera | Ζωρός (zōros meaning strong) | Strong wing | zorapterans |
| Zygoptera | ζεῦγος (zeugos meanign pair) | Paired wings | Damselflies |
Read more about this topic: Insect Wing