imaginal disc

English

Noun

imaginal disc (plural imaginal discs)

1. (entomology) Any of several pairs of discs within the body of a larva that become part of the outside during the pupal stage of holometabolism (complete metamorphosis).
   • 1982, John Feltwell, Large White Butterfly: The Biology, Biochemistry, and Physiology of Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus), Kluwer Academic (Dr W. Junk Publishers), page 142,

     The arrangement of the imaginal discs (buds) in situ in the anterior of the larva of P. brassicae has been illustrated by Gonin (1894) and their development has been shown in a series of six diagrams by Mercier in Portier (1949).

   • 2005, Cedric Gillott, Entomology, 3rd edition, Springer, page 634:

     Experiments in which cells have been selectively destroyed by X-irradiation have shown that formation of imaginal discs occurs very early in embryogenesis and at specific sites.

   • 2005, David J. Merritt, “Chapter 7: Evolution and Development of the Dipteran Nervous System”, in Brian Wiegmann, David K. Yeates, editors, The Evolutionary Biology of Flies, Columbia University Press, page 189:

     The developing BO^{[Bolwig's organ, or larval eye]} is drawn inward at head involution, whereas the future imaginal disc cells invaginate to form a pouch in the late embryo that later forms the eye antenna imaginal disc.

Further reading

• Imago on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Larva on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Pupa on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Holometabolism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Endopterygota on Wikipedia.Wikipedia (= Holometabola)