Androconia

Pronunciation
/an-droh-KOH-nee-uh/
Category
Anatomy
Singular
Androconium
Plural
Androconia

Definition

Specialized, often scent-producing scales found on the wings of male butterflies and some moths, used to release pheromones that attract females during mating.

Etymology

From Greek 'andro-', meaning 'male', and 'konis', meaning 'dust' or 'scales'.

Example

The androconia of the Monarch butterfly are believed to release pheromones that attract females during mating.

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