Ootheca

Ootheca
Mantis ootheca

An ootheca /oʊ.əˈθiːkə/ (pl. oothecae /oʊ.əˈθiːsiː/) is a type of egg mass made by any member of a variety of species (usually insects or mollusks).

The word is a latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon (cf. Latin ovum), and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke. Ootheke in Greek means ovary.

An ootheca usually contains many eggs surrounded by a foam of protein which may then harden into a tough casing for protection. Notable ootheca-making insects are the mantis and cockroach.

Image Gallery

See also

External links



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ootheca — O [ o]*the ca, n.; pl. {O[ o]thec[ae]}. [NL., fr. Gr. w, o n an egg + ? a case.] (Zo[ o]l.) An egg case, especially those of many kinds of mollusks, and of some insects, as the cockroach. Cf. {O[oe]cium}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ootheca — [ō΄ō thē′kə, ō΄əthē′kə] n. pl. oothecae [ō΄ō thē′sē, ō΄əthē′sē] [ModL < OO + Gr thēkē: see THECA] an egg case, as of certain mollusks and insects oothecal adj …   English World dictionary

  • ootheca — noun (plural oothecae) Etymology: New Latin Date: circa 1856 a firm walled and distinctive egg case (as of a cockroach) • oothecal adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • ootheca — n.; pl. cae [Gr. oion, egg; theke, case] (ARTHROPODA: Insecta) The covering or case over an egg or egg mass …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • ootheca — oothecal, adj. /oh euh thee keuh/, n., pl. oothecae / see/. a case or capsule containing eggs, as that of certain gastropods and insects. Also, called egg case. [1850 55; < NL; see OO , THECA] * * * …   Universalium

  • ootheca — noun /əʊəˈθiːkə/ An egg case of any of the orthopteroid insects (such as cockroaches and mantids) …   Wiktionary

  • ootheca — 1. An egg case found in some lower animals. 2. Rarely used term for ovary. [G. oon, egg, + theke, box, case] * * * oo·the·ca (o″o theґkə) [oo + theca] 1. an egg case, such as is found in certain animals. 2. ovarium …   Medical dictionary

  • ootheca — n. vessel for eggs in some invertebrates …   English contemporary dictionary

  • ootheca — oo·the·ca …   English syllables

  • ootheca — o•o•the•ca [[t]ˌoʊ əˈθi kə[/t]] n. pl. cae ( sē). zool. a case or capsule containing eggs, as that of certain insects and mollusks • Etymology: 1850–55; < NL; see oo , theca o o•the′cal, adj …   From formal English to slang

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”