Operculum may refer to:
Human biology
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Operculum (brain)
In human brain anatomy, an operculum (Latin, meaning "little lid") (: opercula), may refer to the frontal, temporal, or parietal operculum, which together cover the insular cortex, insula as the opercula of insula. It can also refer to the occip ...
, the part of the brain covering the insula
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Operculum (dentistry), a small flap of tissue which may cover an erupting or partially erupted molar
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Cervical mucus plug, the cervical mucus plug that blocks the cervix of the uterus after conception
Animal biology
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Operculum (animal)
An operculum is an anatomical feature, a stiff structure resembling a lid or a small door that opens and closes, and thus controls contact between the outside world and an internal part of an animal. Examples include:
* An operculum (gastropod), ...
, a structure resembling a lid or a small door that opens and closes
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Operculum (bird)
The beak, bill, or Rostrum (anatomy), rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for pecking, wikt:grasp#Verb, grasping, and holding (in wikt:probe ...
, a structure which covers the nares of some birds
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Operculum (bryozoa), a lid on the orifice of some bryozoans
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Operculum (fish)
The operculum is a series of bones found in bony fish and chimaeras that serves as a facial support structure and a protective covering for the gills; it is also used for respiration and feeding.
Anatomy
The opercular series contains four bo ...
, a flap covering the gills of bony fish
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Operculum (gastropod)
An operculum (; ) is a corneous or calcareous anatomical structure like a trapdoor that exists in many (but not all) groups of sea snails and freshwater snails, and also in a few groups of land snails, including the Helicinidae, Cyclophoridae, A ...
, a sort of trapdoor used to close the aperture of some snails
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Operculum papillare, the iris found in the eyes of elasmobranchs (skates, sharks, and rays)
* The anterior end of the puparium in some insects, through which the adult emerges; for example the wasp ''
Stenogastrinae
The Stenogastrinae are a subfamily of social wasps included in the family Vespidae. They are sometimes called hover wasps owing to the particular hovering flight of some species. Their morphology and biology present interesting peculiarities.
S ...
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Botany
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Operculum (botany)
In botany, an operculum (: opercula) or calyptra () is a cap-like structure in some flowering plants, mosses, and fungus, fungi. It is a covering, hood or lid, describing a feature in plant morphology.
Flowering plants
In flowering plants, t ...
, various lids and flaps pertaining to plants, algae, and fungi
See also
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Dehiscence (botany)
Dehiscence is the splitting of a mature plant structure along a built-in line of weakness to release its contents. This is common among fruits, anthers and sporangia. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part. Structures that o ...
, the opening of a plant structure, such as a fruit, anther, or sporangium, to release its contents
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