Diptera

Pronunciation key ( dip′tẽr-ə )

Dip•ter•a

n.pl..

[Mod. L. < Gr. dipteros; see DIPTEROUS].

Classification of insects which includes gnats, houseflies, mosquitos and soforth, characterized by having only one pair of membranous wings.

Taxonomic Hierarchy
A gnat is classified in the order Diptera.
Kingdom	Animalia – Animal, animals
Phylum	Arthropoda – arthropods
Subphylum	Hexapoda – hexapods
Class	Insecta – insects, hexapoda
Subclass	Pterygota – winged insects
Infraclass	Neoptera – modern, wing-folding insects
Order	Diptera – mosca, mosquito, gnats, mosquitoes, true flies
Direct Children:
Suborder	Brachycera – circular-seamed flies, muscoid flies, short-horned flies
Suborder	Nematocera – long-horned flies

dip•ter•on ( dip′tẽr-on′ )

n.

[Gr. dipteron, neut. of dipteros; see DIPTEROUS].

An insect with the dipterous feature.

dip•ter•ous ( dip′tẽr-əs )

adj.

[Gr. dipteros having two wings < di-, two + pteron, a wing]

1. Some insects which are uniquely characterized by having only two wings or, in other species which have two winglike structures in their anatomy such as some varieties of seeds.
2. A member of the order Diptera.

References and Further Reading

Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955

Diptera, Taxonomic Serial No.: 118831

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