mesothorax
/ˌmɛzəˈθɔːræks/
noun
- The middle segment of the thorax in insects, which typically bears the middle pair of legs and the forewings.
- Scientists study the mesothorax to understand how insects evolved flight.
- The mesothorax of a grasshopper contains muscles that control its jumping legs.
- In beetles, the mesothorax is often covered by a hard shell called the elytra.