Hemelytra

Definition

The forewings of true bugs (Hemiptera), modified such that the basal portion is thickened and leathery while the apical portion remains membranous; this half-hardened condition distinguishes them from the fully hardened elytra of beetles. In a few hemipteran families (e.g., Schizopteridae), the entire forewing is thickened, a condition termed coleopteroid.

Etymology

From Greek hemi- (half) + elytron (cover, sheath)

Example

A stink bug (Pentatomidae) at rest folds its hemelytra over the abdomen so that the leathery bases overlap and the membranous tips meet in a characteristic X-shaped pattern, protecting the fully membranous hindwings beneath.

Synonyms

• hemielytron
• hemelytron

Related Terms

• elytron
• tegmen
• Corium
• Clavus
• Membrane
• Hemiptera
• coleopteroid

Usage Notes

The singular form hemelytron is rarely used in practice; specialists typically refer to the pair as hemelytra even when discussing a single wing. The term applies specifically to Hemiptera and should not be used for the fully hardened forewings of beetles (elytra) or the uniformly leathery forewings of Orthoptera (tegmina). The boundary between the coriaceous base and membranous apex is often marked by distinct venation or coloration and is taxonomically informative.