(n. pl.) Insects without wings, constituting the seventh Linnaen order of insects, an artificial group, which included Crustacea, spiders, centipeds, and even worms. These animals are now placed in several distinct classes and orders.
Example Sentences:
(1) Apterae of both species are consistently more fecund than alatae of comparable weight, producing about three more nymphs on average in any 5-day period.
(2) The strategies by which alatae of these and other aphid species minimize the difference between their fecundity and that of apterae are discussed.