noun
- A protective egg case or capsule produced by certain insects, mollusks, and other invertebrates, containing one or more eggs.
Usage: biology; plural: oothecae or oothecas
Examples
- The cockroach deposits its ootheca in a safe location before the eggs hatch.
- Mantis oothecae are often found attached to twigs and branches in gardens.
- Scientists study the ootheca structure to understand insect reproduction.
- Each ootheca can contain dozens of developing embryos protected by a hard outer shell.
- The ootheca of the squid is a gelatinous structure that anchors to the ocean floor.