fuckingconversations:

goddamnshinyrock:

if you ever want the experience of being totally baffled by text written in your native language, I highly recommend trying to wring useful information out of a guide written by and for experts in a scientific field you have no formal training in

sure man, I’ll just check if those macropunctures in the mesopleuron are accompanied by an omaulus, or if the clypeus has ferruginous markings, no problem

Found the original article – It’s describing the appearance of a wasp so you can identify it. 

In this context, Flagellum is the long tip segment of the antennae of the wasp. 

Scape is the base segment of the wasp that connects to its head. 

Scutum is the shield-shaped hind plate of the Thorax of the wasp. 

Mesopleuron – Wasps have a Head, Thorax, and Abdomen. The Thorax is the middle part, and it’s also divided into a couple parts. The middle bit is the Mesopleuron.  

Ferruginous means reddish-brown/rust-colored. 

Omaulus is the plate that the wings are tucked under. 

In the picture above, you can see the little dots – the punctures through the Mesopleuron/upper body plate. 

Clypeus is the faceplate just above the mandibles/mouth 

Dorsal Margin is the exact top of the body. If you split the bug perfectly in half lengthwise, then the Dorsal Margin is the line that would go from the very center of its face, over the center of its back, bisecting it perfectly. (Ventral margin is that same line, except along the underside of the bug) 

“

Flagellum usually brownish to black dorsally (Figs 10.18–19), if partly orange then at least middle portion infuscated (Fig. 10.5). Yellow scutal markings rarely present but if so then scutum predominantly ferruginous. Centre of mesopleuron with dense, small punctures, sometimes interspersed with scattered macropunctures; omaulus absent (Fig. 10.2). Head and body usually with well-developed ferruginous markings. Female: scape reddish to ferruginous below; clypeus usually marked with ferruginous areas, if black and yellow, then black spot attaining dorsal margin

“

Translates to: 

The outermost segment of the antennae (of this species) is usually brownish to black, on the topmost side. If that segment is partly orange, then the middle part (of that antennae segment) will be primarily rust-colored. .  

Yellow markings on the shield-shaped back plate are rarely present on this species, but if you do see yellow markings, then that back plate is going to be thoroughly covered in tiny holes.

The central segment of the thorax will be covered in a dense field of small holes –  maybe even bigger holes. Also, this species has no plate that sits over where the wing attaches to the body. 

The head and body will have distinct, rust-colored markings. 

Females will have a base segment of her antennae colored with a reddish, gradient into rust-colored, and her face plate will be marked with rust colored areas as well. 

If the female is black and yellow colored, then a black spot will be perfectly on the top and center. 

Google is your friend. It provides definitions, informational graphics, and other examples of using those words in-context. 

A lot of science uses Greek and Latin to give things ‘proper names’ – so when you see a mass of what appears to be gibberish, you’re not crazy. They’re ACTUALLY speaking another language.

holy shit did you just explain the concept of using latin and greek in scientific literature to me on the flippant shitpost that I made to poke fun at dense academic language?