Diptera

noun plural

Dip·​tera ˈdip-t(ə-)rə How to pronounce Diptera (audio)
: a large order of winged or rarely wingless insects (as the housefly, mosquitoes, midges, and gnats) that have the anterior wings usually functional and the posterior wings reduced to small club-shaped structures functioning as sensory flight stabilizers and that have a segmented larva often without a head, eyes, or legs

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Cite this Entry

“Diptera.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/Diptera. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

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