aculea (noun; plural
aculeae; Latin diminutive
acus, needle): (
Arthropoda:
Insecta) 1. In Diptera, one of the
minute spines comprising the
tomentum that covers the
cuticula (except the
wing membrane), usually dense in adults but sparse or absent in immatures. 2. In Lepidoptera, one of the
minute spines on the
wing membrane.