A tongue-like structure in the labium of an insect's mouthparts.
Example sentencesExamples
Both species landed directly on the column but, while one scraped its abdomen against the anthers, the other introduced its glossa into the anther, and then scraped it.
During visits to flowers in which the corolla spur was removed, males directed their glossa to the tips of the connective appendages, making it clear that their search was for nectar.
Definition of glossa in US English:
glossa
nounˈɡläsə
A tongue-like structure in the labium of an insect's mouthparts.
Example sentencesExamples
During visits to flowers in which the corolla spur was removed, males directed their glossa to the tips of the connective appendages, making it clear that their search was for nectar.
Both species landed directly on the column but, while one scraped its abdomen against the anthers, the other introduced its glossa into the anther, and then scraped it.