osculant

That proximate circles or larger groups are connected by the intervention of lesser groups, which he denominates osculant.

In this scheme the osculant classes are those placed between the circles.

If each circle is regarded as absolute, the series is broken, though the osculant groups connect the circular ones.

Osculant: intermediate in character between two groups or series.

This is another osculant Order, evidently connecting the Coleoptera with the Orthoptera.