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Epigeal,epigean,epigeic andepigeous arebiological terms describing anorganism's activity above thesoil surface.
Inbotany, aseed is described as showingepigeal germination when thecotyledons of thegerminating seed expand, throw off the seed shell and becomephotosynthetic above the ground. The opposite kind, where the cotyledons remain non-photosynthetic, inside the seed shell, and below ground, ishypogeal germination.
The termsepigean,epigeic orepigeous are used for organisms that crawl (epigean), creep like avine (epigeal), or grow (epigeous) on the soil surface: they are also used more generally foranimals that neither burrow nor swim nor fly. The opposite terms arehypogean,hypogeic andhypogeous.
An epigeal nest is a term used for a termite mound, the above ground nest of acolony oftermites.[1]