Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A chitinous or calcareous plate or similar part of an invertebrate, especially one of the hard outer plates forming part of the exoskeleton of an arthropod.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun One of the elements which by union or coalescence form the skeleton of a coral.
- noun In zoology:
- noun Any separate skeletal element or definite hard part of the integument of arthropods; a piece of the chitinous skeleton or crust, as of an insect, in any way distinguished from other parts.
- noun A sclerodermatous spicule in the substance of a polyp, especially of an alcyonarian.
- noun A sponge-spicule; a sclere.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Zoöl.) A hard chitinous or calcareous process or corpuscle, especially a spicule of the Alcyonaria.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun biology A
hardened body part , especially inarthropod exoskeletons .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun hard plate or element of the exoskeleton of some arthropods
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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Ocular lobes: of brain = procerebrum; q.v. Ocular sclerite: the first or protocerebral segment of the head.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Metinfraepisternum: in Odonata; the sclerite just above base of 3d coxa; below metepisternum and before metepimeron.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Orbital sclerite: a narrow sclerite encircling some eyes.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Mentum: a labial sclerite bearing the movable parts; attached to and sometimes fused with the sub-mentum; corresponds to the (united) stipes of maxillae: in Coleoptera, what is usually called mentum is really submentum: in Diptera, the term is applied to the posterior oral margin: in Hymenoptera, is part of "tongue," the second joint bearing the labial palpi, paraglossae and ligula.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Metasternal epimera: small sclerite separating the metasternal episterna from the ventral segments.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Cardo, pl. Cardines: the hinge or basal sclerite of the maxilla by means of which it is jointed to the head.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Palpifer: any palpus-bearing part: specifically, a small sclerite hearing the maxillary palpus and itself articulated to the stipes.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Ante-coxal piece: Coleoptera; that portion of the metasternum lying in front of the posterior coxae, often passing between them and meeting the abdomen of mandible, is the lateral sclerite of the clypeus; - one on each side.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Plate: any broad flattened piece or sclerite: = squame, in Coccidae.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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Metasternal episterna: sclerite situated on each side of the
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology John. B. Smith
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