Definitions

Metastoma

• Lower lip behind mandibles, usually cleft into pair of lobes termed paragnatha.
  (syn. hypostoma, hypostome, hypopharynx, labium, lower lip, paragntha) [Moore and McCormick, 1969]
• Lower lip posterior to mandibles, usually cleft into pair of lobes (paragnaths).
  (syn. hypostoma, hypostome, hypopharynx, labium) [McLaughlin, 1980]

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Citing this glossary: For individual definitions, please cite the specific author(s) of the definition.
To cite the glossary as a whole, please use:
Martin, J.W., N.D. Pentcheff, D. Striley, C. Perrodin, A.R. Wall, J. Wall, and J. Zieba (editors). Crustacea Glossary. Crustacea Department, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Accessed: 31 Oct 2025. URL: https://research.nhm.org/glossary