You searched for: “elytrum
elytron, elytrum (singular)
1. One of the hardened wings in the Coleoptera and some other insects.
2. Either of the horny front wings in beetles and some other insects which cover and protect the functional hind wings.
3. One of the pair of hardened forewings of certain insects; such as, beetles, forming a protective covering for the posterior or flight wings. Also called wing case, wing cover.
4. Either of the leathery or chitinous forewings of a beetle or a related insect, serving to encase the thin, membranous hind wings used in flight.
An example of an elytron insect.

An insect with elytra which is a dung beetle impaled on a barbed wire; as seen in NewScientist, May 27, 2006 in "The Last Word", page 93.

Photo by Toshi Knell, Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
This entry is located in the following units: elytro-, elytr-, elytri- + (page 1) -tron, -tronic, -tronics + (page 12)