noun
- Plural of mesothorax; the middle segment of an insect's thorax, bearing the second pair of legs and the first pair of wings.
Usage: technical; entomology
Examples
- The mesothoraces of beetles are often heavily sclerotized and armored.
- In insects, the mesothoraces support the forewings and middle legs.
- Entomologists examine the mesothoraces to identify and classify different insect species.
- The mesothoraces connect the prothorax to the metathorax in the insect body plan.