noun
- Plural of epigynium; in spiders, a plate or structure on the underside of the female abdomen that covers the reproductive opening.
Usage: technical; zoology; arachnology
Examples
- Arachnologists examine the epigyna of female spiders to identify species.
- The shape and pattern of epigyna are important diagnostic features in spider taxonomy.
- Under the microscope, the epigyna revealed distinctive characteristics unique to this genus.
- Researchers collected specimens to study variations in epigyna morphology across populations.