mesothorax

American  

[mez-uh-thawr-aks, -thohr-, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh-] / ˌmɛz əˈθɔr æks, -ˈθoʊr-, ˌmɛs-, ˌmi zə-, -sə- /

noun

mesothoraxes, plural mesothoraces plural

1. the middle segment of the three divisions of the thorax of an insect, bearing the second pair of legs and the first pair of wings.

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mesothorax British  

/ ˌmɛsəʊˈθɔːræks, ˌmɛsəʊθɔːˈræsɪk /

noun

1. the middle segment of the thorax of an insect, bearing the second pair of walking legs and the first pair of wings See also prothorax metathorax

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mesothoracic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mesothoraces
  plural
• mesothoraxes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mesothorax

First recorded in 1820–30; meso- + thorax

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mesothorax

Wings.—Two pairs of wings are present in the vast majority of insects, borne respectively on the mesothorax and metathorax.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 4 "Hero" to "Hindu Chronology" by Various

The prothorax is large and “free,” i.e. readily movable on the mesothorax, an arrangement usual among insects with the power of rapid running.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

Thorax: a black stripe on each side of the mesothorax over the tegulæ; the wings subhyaline, the nervures ferruginous, the superior pair fuscous at their apex.

From Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society - Vol. 3 Zoology by Various

Thorax finely punctured, with the disk of the mesothorax impunctate; wings dark brown with a rich coppery iridescence.

From Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society - Vol. 3 Zoology by Various

Mutant race of fruit fly with intercalated duplicate mesothorax on dorsal side.

From A Critique of the Theory of Evolution by Morgan, Thomas Hunt