/ˌmɛsə(ʊ)ˈplʊərə/, U.S. /ˌmɛzoʊˈplʊrə/see also meso- comb. form.mesopleuronn.
/ˌmɛsə(ʊ)ˈplʊərɒn/, U.S. /ˌmɛzoʊˈplʊˌrɑn/; see also meso- comb. form./ˌmɛsə(ʊ)ˈplʊərə/, U.S. /ˌmɛzoʊˈplʊrə/see also meso- comb. form. Entomology.
Either of the pleura of the mesothorax of an insect.
ΚΠ
1848 S. Maunder Treasury Nat. Hist. Gloss. 794/1 Mesopleura, the lateral surfaces of the mesothorax.
1884 Trans. Entomol. Soc. 503 Sternopleural suture, horizontal suture below the dorsopleural and parallel to it; separates the mesopleura from the mesosternum.
1951 C. N. Colyer & C. O. Hammond Flies Brit. Isles 24 Spiracles or apertures of the tracheae (breathing-tubes) are located before the mesopleuron and behind the hypopleuron respectively.
1992 Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 85 28/1 In P[alarus] ambustus, the mesopleuron is shiny with coarse and very scattered punctures.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1848