Surface Sculpturing

The following definitions are derived from R. A. Harris. 1979. A glossary of surface sculpturing. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology, 28, 1-31.

Entries in green indicate that though the word is otherwise correct, it is not a preferred term for surface sculpture.

See also Morphological Terms.

General Terminology
Some important terms for correctly understanding a discussion of descriptive terminology.
 * embossed, ornamented with raised sculpturing (T-B).
 * cf., sculptured.
 * interstice, a space between two lines, whether striate or punctate (T-B).
 * cf., interval.
 * interval, the space between two structures or sculptures (T-B).
 * cf. interstice.
 * maculation, the pattern of marks or spots on a surface (T-B)(C)(B).
 * cf., sculpture.
 * prominent, raised or produced above the surface or beyond the margin; standing out in relief; conspicuous by position (T-B).
 * cf., protuberance.
 * protuberance, any excrescence above the surface; a prominence (T-B)(FW).
 * cf., prominent.
 * sculpture, the markings or pattern of impressions or elevations on a surface (T-B).
 * cf., maculation.
 * sculptured, superficially marked with elevations or depressions or both, arranged in some definable manner (T-B).
 * cf., embossed.

Modifiers
Words used to modify the meaning of a descriptive term. Also, prefixes.
 * a-, wanting or without (T-B).
 * ab-, off; away from (T-B).
 * 'conflected, crowded; thickly clustered (T-B)(J).
 * ant., sparse.
 * confused (fig. 17), markings with indefinite outlines or run together as lines or spots without definite pattern (T-B).
 * cf., intricate, obscure.
 * dispersed, with scattered markings or small sculptures (T-B).
 * cf., sparse.
 * e-, without (T-B).
 * elute, with scarcely distinct markings (T-B).
 * ex-, out of; proceeding from (T-B).
 * intricate, confused; markings, whether elevated or depressed. so run into each other as to be difficult to see (T-B).
 * cf., confused, obscure.
 * obscure, dark; not readily seen; not well defined (T-B).
 * cf., confused, intricate.
 * ordinate, spots or sculpturing arranged in rows or regularly arranged (T-B)(B).
 * cf., perlate V.
 * sparse, scattered; spread irregularly and some distance apart; thin; eg., pile or hairs (T-B).
 * cf., dispersed.
 * ant., connected.
 * sub-, under, slightly less than, or not quite so (T-B).

Unsculptured Surfaces

 * denudate, without hairs or scales (sens. str.); without vestiture of any kind (sens. lat.) (T-B)(B)(C).
 * cf., glabrous, immaculate, investitus, nude.
 * destitute, lacking or devoid of something specified; being entirely without (used to contrast) (T-B) (E&B).
 * ecarinate, without or deprived of a keel or a carina (used to contrast carinate) (T-B).
 * ant., carinate IX.
 * explicate, unfolded or open; also, without folds or plicae (T-B).
 * ant., plicate VIII, X.
 * glabrate, almost glabrous ( M) (FW).
 * glabrous, smooth, devoid of pubescence (sens. str.); devoid of any sculpturing (sens. lat.) (T-B)(FW)(C).
 * cf., denudate, immaculate, investitus, nude.
 * immaculate, destitute of spots, marks, or sculpturing (sens. lat.); destitute of spots or marks (sens. str.) (T-B)(S).
 * cf., denudate, glabrous, investitus, nude.
 * ant., maculate IV.
 * impunctate, not punctate or marked with punctures (used to contrast punctate) (T-B).
 * ant., punctate IV.
 * inermis, unarmed; without striae, spines, or any other sharp processes ( T-B)(B).
 * cf., mutic.
 * ant., munite V.
 * innotate, without markings (T-B).
 * ant., notate IV.
 * investitus, unclothed; without scales or hair (T-B).
 * cf., denudate, glabrous, immaculate, nude.
 * levigate, a smooth surface, sometimes somewhat shiny or polished; without elevations or depressions (T-B)(B)(C)(FW).
 * cf., glabrous, micans, nitid, politus.
 * micans, shining or twinkling, in part or altogether (B)(T-B).
 * cf., glabrous, nitid, politus.
 * mutic, unarmed; lacking processes where such usually occur (T-B).
 * cf., inermis.
 * nitid, shiny or glossy; reflecting light (T-B).
 * cf., politus.
 * nude, naked; devoid of hair, scales or other surface vestiture (T-B).
 * cf., denudate, glabrous, immaculate, investitus.
 * politus, polished; smooth shiny ( B)(C)(T-B).
 * cf., glabrous, micans, nitid.

Superficial and Impressed Nonparallel Sculpturing
Spots. punctures, excavations, and cracks.
 * adsperse, marked with closely crowded, small spats (T-B).
 * cf., atomarius, irrorate, maculate.
 * atomarius, with minute dots or points (T-B).
 * cf., adsperse, irrorate, maculate.
 * cariose, corroded; appearing worm eaten; with cavities ar ulcerations (T-B)(FW).
 * cf., vermicular VI, vermiculate VI.
 * cicatrose, a surface having scars with elevated margins like those of small pox (T-B).
 * cf., impressed, lacunose, variolate.
 * corticinus, bark-like sculpturing or texture (T-B).
 * cf., fatiscent, fissate, rimose.
 * exarate, ploughed; sculpted; furrowed; sulcated; an excavated surface in general (T-B)(B)(FW).
 * cf., impressed.
 * excavated, with a scooped out depression; superficially, with a hollowed out area (FW)(C).
 * cf., lacunose.
 * exsculptate, with irregular, more or less longitudinal depressions, as if carved or scooped out (T-B)(C).
 * cf., fossulate, scrobiculate.,/span>
 * fatiscent, with superficial cracks, crevices, or similar openings (T-B)(C).
 * cf., corticinus, fissate, rimose.
 * fenestrate, with transparent areas or window-like openings (fenestrae) as in the wings of some Lepidoptera (M)(T-B).
 * fissate, with fissures or cracks (seas. lat.); divided or cleft (setts. str.) (C) (T-B).
 * cf., corticinus, fatiscent, rimose.
 * fossulate, with oblong depressions (fossulae) more elongate or furrow-like than scrobiculate (T-B)( B)
 * cf., exsculpiate, lacunose, scrobiculate.
 * foveate (fig. 27), pitted; with numerous, regular, depressions or pits (foveae) (B)(C)(T-B).
 * dim., foveolate.
 * cf., lacunose, punctate.
 * foveolate (figs. 29, 32, 34, 35, 36), with small deep pits; finely pitted (B)(C).
 * dim., punctate.
 * cf., foveate.
 * impressed, having shallow, depressed areas or markings (T-B).
 * cf., cicatrose, lacunose, variolate.
 * irrorate, freckled or speckled; covered with minute spots or granules (T-B) (13).
 * cf., adsperse, atomarius, farinose VI, maculate.
 * lacunose (fig. 20), full of hollows or cavities; with scattered and irregular broad, shallow cavities (C)(B)(T-B).
 * cf., excavated, foveate, impressed, variolate.
 * maculate, spotted; with many superficial marks or spots (T-B) ( FW).
 * ant., immaculate III.
 * cf., adsperse, atomarius, irrorate.
 * notate, marked by spots (sens. sir.); with a series of depressed marks as a sculpture (sens. lat.) (T-B).
 * ant., innotate III.
 * cf., impressed. maculate, ordinate IL
 * porose, having pores (T-B).
 * punctate (figs. 23, 30. 31, 32, 35, 37. 38). set with fine, impressed points or punctures appearing as pin-pricks (T-B)(B)(C).
 * ant., impunctate III.
 * dim., punticulate, punctulate.
 * cf., foveate, foveolate.
 * puncticulate (figs. 33, 36), sparsely punctate with very fine, widely spaced punctures (S)( M).
 * cf., punctulate.
 * punctulate (fig. 30), finely punctate; with numerous minute and close set punctures (S)(C)(T-B).
 * cf., puncticulate.
 * rimose, with minute, narrow and nearly parallel excavations (rimae) running into each other; chinky; resembling the cracked bark of a tree (C)(B)(J)(T-B).
 * dim., rimulose.
 * cf., corlicinus, fatiscent, fissate, rivose VI, undose.
 * rimulose, minutely rimose; with minute cracks or fissure-like openings with sharp edges (B).
 * scrobiculate (fig. 28), uniformly covered with short, oblong or trench-like hollows (B)(.I)(T-B).
 * cf., exsculptate, fossulate.
 * undose, with undulating, broad, nearly parallel depressions running more or less into each other; wavy, resembling ripple-marks on a sandy beach (T-B).
 * cf., verrniculate VI.
 * variolate (fig. 42), pitted as if by small pox; full of irregular indentations (varioles) (B)(T-B).
 * cf., cicatrose, impressed. lacunose.

Protuberant Nonparallel Sculpturing
Bumps, knobs, and spines.
 * acinose, continuously set with granulations like those on a black-berry (T-B).
 * cf., colliculate, granulate, papillate.
 * colliculate (fig. 43), continuously covered with low, rounded elevations, not as pronounced as acinose (B) (S).
 * cf., acinose, granulate, papillate.
 * echinate, thickly set or armed with short, stout spines or prickles; spiny like a hedgehog (FW)(T-B).
 * dim., echinulate.
 * echinulate, with very small prickles; minutely echinate (C).
 * granulate, covered with or made up of very small grains or granules. Also, minutely and densely verrucose or minutely farinose (T-B) (M) (S).
 * cf., acinose, farinose VI.
 * munite, a surface armed with spines or other excrescences (T-B) (C).
 * ant., inermis III.
 * nodulate, a surface sculpturing of small knots or swellings (T-B).
 * cf., acinose, colliculate, torulose, tuberculate, verrucose.
 * papillate, covered with small, nipple-like surface elevations, often porous at the tip (B) (H&D) (T-B).
 * cf., acinose, colliculate, papillulate, pustulate.
 * papillulate, beset with depressions or elevations with a small elevation in the center (a papillule) (T-B).
 * cf., papillate.
 * perlate, beaded (sens. lat.);bearing relieved, rounded points in series (seas. str.) (T-B).
 * cf., ordinate II.
 * pustulate, covered with small, blister-like swellings larger than papillae and never with a terminal pore (T-B) (S).
 * cf., acinose, colliculate, papillate.
 * spherulate, provided with one or more rows of minute tubercles (T-B) (B).
 * cf., perlate, tuberculate.
 * spinose, armed with thorny spines, more elongate that echinate (B) (T-B).
 * dim., spinulate.
 * cf., echinate.
 * spinulate, set with numerous small, thorny spines; minutely spinose (B) (T-B).
 * cf., echinulate.
 * torose, superficially swelling in knots, knobs, or protuberances; knobby (seas. lat.). In general form, swollen or with a knobby or knotted shape (sens. str.) (T-B) (B) (C).
 * dim., torulose.
 * cf., nodulate, tuberculate, verrucose.
 * torulose, minutely torose; with numerous small knobs or knots (seas. lat.) (T-B) (B).
 * cf., torose
 * tuberculate, covered or furnished with rounded, projecting lobes; more projecting than granulate, papillate, or pustulate (S) (J) (B)(T-B).
 * cf., nodulate, torose, verrucose.
 * verrucose (fig. 44), covered with irregularly shaped lobes or wart-like protuberances (S) (T-B).
 * cf., nodulate, torose, tuberculate.

Irregular and Nonparallel Sculpturing
Wrinkles, roughness, scratches, mealiness.
 * aciculate, appearing as if irregularly scratched with a needle (T-B).
 * cf., rastrate, scarified.
 * areolate (figs. 19, 21, 22, 23, 26), divided into a number of small, irregular spaces (S) (B).
 * cf., alveolate VII, goffered VII, reticulate VII.
 * asperous, rough and uneven (T-B).
 * cf., salebrose, scabrous, squarrose.
 * caelate, with superficial plane elevations of varying form (T-B) (B).
 * corticinus, bark-like sculpturing or texture (T13).
 * cf., fatiscent, fissate, rimose.
 * farinaceous, mealy or powdery looking; applied to surfaces or wings (T-B) (C).
 * cf., farinose, pollinose, pruinose, pulverulent, rorulent.
 * farinose, dotted with many single flour-like spots; mealy (T-B).
 * cf., farinaceous, pollinose, pruinose, pulverulent, rorulent.
 * fatiscent, with cracks, crevices, or similar openings (T-B) (C).
 * cf., corticinus, fissate, rimose.
 * sate, with fissures or cracks (sens. fat.); divided or cleft (sens. str.) (C) (T-B).
 * cf., corticinus, fatiscent, rimose.
 * hatched, closely marked with numerous short, transverse lines (T-B).
 * cf., strigate IX, X.
 * muriculate, with a coverning of fine, short, sharp, thick excrescences; irregularly scabriculous (M).
 * pollinose, covered with a loose, mealy, often yellow dust like the pollen of flowers; fine meal (T-B) (B) (J).
 * cf., farinaceous, farinose, pruinose, pulverulent, rorulent.
 * pruinose, appearing covered with a fine dust or coarse powder, but which cannot be rubbed off; the brightness of the surface somewhat obscured by the appearance of a bloom Like that of a plum (T-B) (M).
 * cf., farinaceous, farinose, pollinose, pulverulent, rorulent.
 * pulverulent, powdery or dusty. Also, covered with very minute, powder-like scales (T-B) (M).
 * cf., farinaceous, farinose, pollinose, pruinose, rorulent, squarrose.
 * rastrate, covered as if with longitudinal scratches (T-B) (J). cf., aciculate, scarified.
 * rimose, with minute, narrow and nearly parallel excavations (rimae) running into each other; chinky; resembling the cracked bark of a tree (C)(B)(J)(T-B).
 * dim., rimulose.
 * cf., corticinus, fatiscent, fissate, rivose.
 * rimulose, minutely rimose; with minute cracks or fissure-like openings with sharp edges (B).
 * rivose, marked with sinuate furrows, like rivulets, not running in a parallel direction (C)(S)(B).
 * dim., rivulose.
 * cf., rimose, venose.
 * rivulose, minutely rivose; with very small or fine sinuate furrows, like rivulets, which are not parallel (B) (C).
 * rorulent, covered with a bloom of fine dust that can be rubbed off (T-B)(C)(S).
 * cf., farinaceous, farinose, pollinose, pruinose, pulverulent.
 * rugose, (figs. 12, 15, 16, 21, 22), wrinkled (T-B) (C) (B).
 * dim., rugulose.
 * cf., salebrose, scabrous.
 * rugulose, (figs. 17, 18, 19, 20, 23), minutely rugose; minutely wrinkled (J) (T-B).
 * cf., scabriculous.
 * salebrose, rough, rugged, or uneven (C)(T-B)
 * cf., asperous, rugose, scabrous, squarrose.
 * scabriculous, (figs. 13, 19), finely scabrous; with fine and regular short, sharp, wrinkles and/or projections (M) (T-B).
 * cf., muriculate, shagreened.
 * scabrid, sparsely scabrous (S) (M).
 * scabrous, (fig. 14), rough; irregularly and roughly rugose; possessing short, sharp projections or wrinkles (B) (T-B).
 * dim., scabriculous.
 * cf., rugose, salebrose, squarrose.
 * scarified, appearing clawed or scratched; furnished with fine, irregular grooves, coarser than aciculate (T-B)(B).
 * cf., aciculate, rastrate.
 * shagreened, covered with a closely set roughness, like the rough-surfaced horse leather termed shagreened; like shark leather (T-B).
 * cf., scabriculous.
 * squarrose, rough with elevations; scurfy; rough with loose scales differing in direction or not parallel in direction (C) (I) (S) (T-B)
 * cf., pulverulent, rugose, salebrose, scabrous.
 * undose, with undulating, broad, nearly parallel depressions running more or less into each other; wavy; resembling ripple- marks on a sandy beach (T-B)
 * cf., vermiculate.
 * venose, furnished with veins or vein-like marking; of or pertaining to veins (T-B).
 * vermicular, worm-shaped or worm-like in general body form (M) (S).
 * cf., cariose IV, undose, vermiculate.
 * vermiculate, with superficial, tortuous markings resembling the tracks of a worm (T-B) (S).
 * cf., cariose IV, undose, vermicular.

Regular and Nonparallel Sculptured Patterns
Reticulations, imbrications.
 * alutaceous, rather pale leather-brown; covered with minute cracks like the human skin and leathery in texture (T-B) cf., coriaceous, coriarious.
 * alveolate, (fig. 25), honeycombed; with regular, deep, angular cavities (alveohe) separated by thin partitions. Furnished with cells or alveoli (T-B) (3).
 * cf., areolate, goffered, reticulate.
 * areate, furnished with open areas or with areas defined on the surface (T-B) (M).
 * cf., areolate.
 * areolate, (figs. 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26), divided into a number of small, irregular spaces (S) (B).
 * cf., alveolate, areate, reticulate.
 * cancellate, a lattice-work or grid; a series of enclosed cells or chambers (B) (C) (FW).
 * cf., clathrate, reticulate.
 * cataphracted, clad in closely set scales (C) (T-B).
 * cf., imbricate, scutate, squamate.
 * catenate, with longitudinal, connected elevations like links in a chain (T-B).
 * dim., catenulate.
 * cf., consute.
 * catenulate, chain-like, with smaller links than catenate (T-B).
 * clathrate, latticed; elevated ridges decussing at right angles (T-B)
 * cf., cancellate, reticulate.
 * consute, with very minute elevations in series, some distance apart, and of a different color from the general surface, which resemble stitching somewhat (T-B).
 * cf., catenate.
 * coriaceous, leather-like in texture, with minute cracks like human skin (T-B).
 * cf., alutaceous, coriarious.
 * coriarious (fig. 38), leather-like in sculpture; with minute cracks like the human skin (T-B)(B).
 * cf., aiutaceous, coriaceous.
 * crenate, having the margin evenly notched with rounded teeth (B) (T-B).
 * dim., crenulate.
 * crenulate, having the margin finely notched with small, rounded teeth (T-B) (B) (M).
 * goffered, with regular impressions, closely set, and separated by narrow ridges; waffling or honeycombs (E&B) (T-B).
 * cf., alyeolate, areolate, cancellate, clathrate, reticulate.
 * imbricate (figs. 37, 39, 40, 41), partly overlapping and appearing like shingles on a roof or scales on a fish (T-B) (M) (H&D).
 * cf., cataphracted, scutate, squamate.
 * reticulate (figs. 27, 30), superficially net-like or made up of a network of lines; meshed; netted (T-13) (C) (S).
 * cf., alveolate, areolate, cancellate, clathrate, goffered.
 * scabriculous, (figs. 13, 19), finely scabrous; with fine and regular short, sharp, wrinkles and/or projections (M) (T-B).
 * cf., muriculate VI, shagreened VI.
 * scrobiculate, uniformly covered with short, oblong or trench- like hollows (B)(J) (T-B).
 * cf., exsculptate IV, fossulate IV.
 * scutate, covered with large, flat, scales. Also, having a scutum; shield-shaped; scutiform (T-B).
 * dim., scutellate.
 * cf., cataphracted, imbricate, squamate.
 * scutellate, divided into surfaces like small plates, minutely scutate (T-B).
 * cf., cataphracted, imbricate, squamate.
 * squamate, scaly; covered with scales (B) (T-B).
 * cf., cataphracted, imbricate, scutate.
 * tessellate, made up of squares like a chess board, either in sculp-turing or in color (C) (M).
 * cf., cancellate, clathrate.

Parallel Lineations
General terms for sculptured lineations, whether raised or impressed or superficial.
 * corrugated, wrinkled into furrows; with alternate ridges and channels (T-B) (E&B).
 * lineate, longitudinally marked with raised or depressed parallel lines; with linear marks (T-B) (M).
 * dim., lineolate.
 * lineolate, finely lineate, longitudinally marked with very fine raised or depressed lines (C).
 * plicate, folded; with folds; impressed with striae to produce the appearance of having been folded or pleated (T-B).
 * ant., explicate III.
 * serrations, lines arranged in parallel series, either in sculpture or in color, as in the Corixidae of the Heteroptera (T-B).
 * taeniate, with broad, longitudinal bands or ribbon-like markings (sens. lat.); shaped like a tapeworm (sens. str,) (B) (C) (T-B).
 * vittate, striped; longitudinally striped or plaited (T-B).

Raised Parallel Lineations

 * carinate (figs. 11, 16), keeled; having keels or carinae; with one, or several, but usually few longitudinal narrow raised ridges (T-B).
 * ant., ecarinate III.
 * dim., carinulate.
 * cf., costate, cristate, porcate.
 * carinulate, with several small, elevated, longitudinal ridges or carinae (T-B).
 * cf., costulate, cristulate.
 * costate (figs. 8, 9), furnished with longitudinal raised ribs or ridges (costae), much coarser than carinate (T-B).
 * dim., costulate.
 * cf., carinate, cristate, porcate.
 * costulate (figs. 4, 6, 7), with less prominent ribs or ridges than costate (T-B).
 * cristate, with a prominent carina or crest on the upper surface; crested (T-B).
 * dim., cristulate.
 * cf., carinate, costate, porcate.
 * cristulate, with several, small, crescent-like ridges or crests (T-B).
 * cf., carinulate.
 * porcate (fig. 10), with several parallel, longitudinal ridges with deep, broad sulcations (T-B).
 * cf., carinate, costate, cristate.
 * strigate (figs. 4, 5, 6, 12), having narrow, transverse lines or streaks, either raised or impressed; composed of fine, short lines (T-B).
 * dim., strigualte.
 * cf., hatched VI, striate X.
 * strigulate (figs. 1, 2, 3), finely or minutely strigate; with numer¬ous short and fine transverse lines, either raised or impressed (T-B)(B).
 * cf., striolate X.

Impressed Parallel Lineations

 * canaliculate, channelled or furrowed; longitudinally grooved (serfs. lat.). In general body form, long and concave so as to resemble a gutter or channel (sens. str.) (T-B)(S).
 * cf., porcate, sulcate.
 * channelled (fig. 11), having deep grooves or channels (T-B).
 * cf., canaliculate, fluted, striate, strigate.
 * fluted, having parallel grooves or flutes; channelled (FW) (T-B).
 * cf., canaliculate, channelled.
 * institia, striae or furrows of equal width throughout (T-B).
 * plicate, folded; with folds; impressed with striae to produce the appearance of having been folded or pleated (T-B).
 * ant., explicate III.
 * cf., striate.
 * porcate (fig. 10), with several parallel, longitudinal ridges with deep, broad sulcations (T-B).
 * cf., canaliculate, striate, sulcate.
 * striate, marked with parallel, fine, longitudinal impressed lines or furrows (T-B) (M) (C)(J)(B).
 * dim., striolate.
 * cf., strigate.
 * strigate (figs. 4, 5, 6, 12), having narrow, transverse lines or streaks, either raised or impressed; composed of fine, short lines (B) (T-B).
 * dim., strigulate.
 * cf., hatched VI, striate.
 * strigulate (figs. 3, 2, 3), finely or minutely strigate; with numer¬ous short and fine transverse lines, either raised or impressed (T-B) (B).
 * cf., striolate.
 * striolate, minutely or finely striate; with numerous parallel and very fine longitudinal impressed lines or furrows (T-B) (B).
 * cf., strigulate.
 * sulcate, deeply furrowed or grooved (T-B).
 * cf., canaliculate, porcate.