Nacre |
The innermost, lustrous layer of a mollusc shell, secreted by the mantle, mother-of-pearl. |
Natality |
births |
Natural history |
the study of nature |
Native |
Indigenous. Living naturally within a given area. |
Naturalized |
an alien, or introduced species, that has become successfully established |
Natural selection |
The differential success in reproduction of different phenotypes resulting from the interaction of organisms with their environment |
Nauplius |
the earliest larval stage of Crustaceans when they (usually) have 3 pairs of functioning limbs |
Nautiloid |
A free-swimming marine animal in the phylum Mollusca. It has a coiled, chambered cell. |
Nectar |
the sugary substance secreted by flowers to attract insects so aiding pollination |
|
Nectarivorous |
feeding on nectar |
Nematocyst |
the stinging cell of cnidarians |
Nematodes |
Unsegmented round worms, usually small, often parasitical. |
Nematomorpha |
hairworms, Gordian worms, horsehair worms |
Nemertea |
ribbon worms |
Neonatal |
newborn, recently hatched |
Neoteny |
the retention of juvenile features into the adult stage |
Nephridium |
a excretory tube in earthworms |
Nest odour |
the distinctive odour of a nest enabling the inhabitants to distinguish their nest from the others, e. g. as in social hymenoptera |
Nest parasitism |
symbiosis between 2 termite species where one colony lives in and feeds on the walls of the nest of another (host) species |
|
Neurons |
Nerve cells which receive and transmit stimuli. |
Neuroptera |
the order of insects containing the lacewings, alder flies, ant lions etc. |
Neurotoxin |
A substance that deactivates nerves or that disrupts the way nerves work. Some insects can produce neurotoxins and they are commonly found in many insecticides. |
Niche |
the limits for all important
environmental features, within which individuals of a species can survive, grow
and reproduce. |
Nit |
an egg of a louse, especially the human head louse |
Noctuidae |
family of moths containing the cutworms and army worms |
Nocturnal |
Active at night |
Nomad |
a wandering organism |
Nomenclature |
the system and application of scientific naming of species |
Noosphere |
that part of the biosphere altered or influenced by man |
|
Notochord |
A reinforcing rod that runs the length of the body. It is found in chordates. |
Notostraca |
tadpole shrimp |
Nucleus |
The central body in a eukaryotic cell. It contains the genetic information on chromosomes. |
Nuda |
a class of sea gooseberry (Ctenophora) |
Nuptial flight |
the mating flight of insects, especially social insects, where it involves the queen mating with males. |
Nutrient cycle |
the path of a chemical substance (carbon, nitrogen, etc.) back and forth between the living and non-living worlds |
Nymph |
the immature stage of certain insects in which there is some similarity to the adult form |