tomentum

zoology

Also known as: dusting

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July 14, 2026

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Tomentum refers to a covering of densely matted, woolly hairs. This term is used in zoology to describe such a covering on an animal. The related adjective, tomentose, means covered with this type of hair, often used to describe a leaf. The word originates from Latin, meaning cushion stuffing.12

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Diptera
General appearance
…with a fine coating called tomentum or dusting. Many flies, particularly those of more highly evolved families, are bristly; and the strongest bristles have a precise location, particularly on the thorax. The arrangement of bristles and the identification method based on them is called chaetotaxy.
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…with a fine coating called tomentum or dusting. Many flies, particularly those of more highly evolved families, are bristly; and the strongest bristles have a precise location, particularly on the thorax. The arrangement of bristles and the identification method based on them is called chaetotaxy.
Read More