mesothorax

C2 Topic:Animals

Also spelled meso-thorax

US /ˌmɛzəˈθɔˌræks/ UK /ˌmɛzəˈθɔːræks/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    the middle of the three segments of an insect's thorax, bearing the second pair of legs and, when present, the forewings

    The beetle's stridulatory rasp lay on the mesothorax beneath the wing covers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · the middle of the three... middle thoracic segment
Word family
Derived forms mesothoracic
Related forms prothoraxmetathoraxthoraxforewing

Etymology

Formed from meso-, 'middle,' + thorax. Entomologists divide the insect thorax into the prothorax, mesothorax, and metathorax; the name identifies the middle segment.

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