sericterium
/ˌsɛrɪkˈtɪriəm/
noun
- A silk-producing gland or organ in insects such as silkworms and spiders.
- Spiders have a modified sericterium that allows them to spin different types of silk.
- In caterpillars, the sericterium is connected to the spinneret, which shapes the silk.
- The silkworm's sericterium produces the liquid silk that hardens into a thread.