Ootheca
An ootheca /oʊ.əˈθiːkə/ (pl. oothecae /oʊ.əˈθiːsiː/) is a type of egg mass made by any member of a variety of species (usually insects or mollusks).
The word is a Latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon (cf. Latin ovum), and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke. Ootheke is Greek for ovary.
An ootheca usually contains many eggs surrounded by a foam of protein which may then harden into a tough casing for protection. Notable ootheca-making insects are the mantis and cockroach.
Image gallery
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Female cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa) with ootheca
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Female cockroach ootheca
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Sagittal section of mantis ootheca (Hierodula patellifera) already hatched out
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Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) Ootheca in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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Damaged praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) ootheca in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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See also
- Sang piao xiao, mantis oothecae used in traditional Chinese medicine
External links
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