Ap'terous Insects

Ap'terous Insects are insects without wings. In the Linnean system, the Aptera formed a distinct order of insects, and included a large number of incongruous forms. Many of these have been distributed to other orders, and the remainder—e.g. Collembola and Thysanura, are regarded as survivors of primitive forms. The term is now rarely used except as a descriptive adjective, equivalent to wingless. See INSECTS.