Palpuli: the maxillary palpi in Lepidoptera, when visibly developed.
Palpus: a mouth feeler: tactile, usually jointed structures borne by the maxillae (maxillary palpi) and labium (labial palpi).
Panduriform: violin shaped: oblong, with rounded ends, medially constricted.
Pantherine: in color, almost like cervinus; q.v.: in maculation, like those of a panther.
Papilioform: formed like a butterfly wing.
Papilla: a minute, soft projection: specifically the modified ligula in silk spinning caterpillars.
Papillary: with nipple-like processes that have the tips rounded.
Papillate -us: a surface with small elevations which are porous at tip.
Papillose -us: pimply; a surface covered with raised dots or pimples.
Pappose: downy: made up or clothed with pappus.
Paraclypeal piece: in lepidopterous pupa, occurs in some of the generalized families on each side of the maxillary palpi.
Paraclypeus: in caterpillars, a narrow sclerite bordering clypeus at sides.
Paraderm: the limiting membrane enclosing the pronymph of Muscidae.
Paraglossa: a paired, labial structure, lying at each side of the ligula; often connected with it; sometimes free and two-jointed: corresponds to the galea of maxilla.
Parallel: along the same line and nearly equidistant.
Paranal: at the side of or next to the anus or anal structures.
Paranal forks: two lateral, bristle-like structures in some caterpillars, used to throw frass pellets to a distance.
Paraphysis: the chitinized thickenings or lateral ingrowths, usually situated at the base of the lobes in certain Diaspid genera.
Parapleura: the sternal side pieces in beetles.
Parapodia: the pro- or false legs: more specifically applied to the jointed abdominal processes of the Symphyla.
Parapsidae: the small sclerites on each side of the scutellum in Chalcids, marked by the parapsidal grooves.
Parapsidal furrows: longitudinal grooves on each side of the mesoscutum of Proctytrypidae separating the parapsides from the middle lobe.
Parapsidal grooves: the grooves or furrows on each side of the Chalcid scutellum, defining the parapsidae.
Parapsides: lateral pieces of the meso-scutum, separated from the mesal portion by the parapsidal furrows.
Parapteron -era: small sclerites, articulated to the dorsal extremity of the episternum, just below the wings; absent on prothorax = the tegulae of Hymenoptera, and patagia of Lepidoptera: have been homologized with the elytra of Coleoptera.