epialexy

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noun

The aggregation of conspecific insect larvae over the midvein or another elongated aspect of a leaf for coordinated defense, or to maximize feeding efficiency.

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Meanings

nounepialexy (uncountable)
  1. uncountablebiologyThe aggregation of conspecific insect larvae over the midvein or another elongated aspect of a leaf for coordinated defense, or to maximize feeding efficiency.

    Other types of aggregations in insects include stigmergy, or the induction of additional labor, and epialexy, or the positioning of conspecifics organisms over the midvein or an elongated aspect of a leaf.

    2012, Jorge A. Santiago-Blay, Pierre Jolivet, Krishna K. Verma, “A natural history of conspecific aggregations in terrestrial arthropods, with emphasis on cycloalexy in leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)”, in Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews, volume 5, numbers 3-4, Brill, pages 289-355

Origin

epi-

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Cite this entry
APA

epialexy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epialexy

MLA

“epialexy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epialexy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “epialexy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epialexy.

Source: epialexy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.