Definitions

Usage tips Browse list of all terms Display complete list

Somite

A body segment, especially of the abdomen. [Chace and Hobbs, 1969]
Body segment, as in abdominal somites 1-6. [Poore, 2004]
Body segment, especially of the abdomen. [Butler, T. H.]
Division of body (head, thorax, abdomen) with exoskeleton comprising body-ring that is generally divisible into dorsal (tergite) and ventral (sternite) portions. [Moore and McCormick, 1969]
Division of body, including exoskeleton, usually with pair of appendages. [McLaughlin, 1980]
Each of the main divisions of the body. [Perez Farfante and Kensley, 1997]
Segment of the body usually differentiated into dorsal tergite and ventral sternite and with a pair of appendages. [Holdich and Jones, 1983]
(Taxon-specific: Order Cladocera) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists of five somites (bearing antennules, antennae, mandibles, maxillules, and reduced maxillae). Somites of trunk, especially of posterior region ("abdomen") , are indistinguishable, although trunk appendages reflect segmentation of anterior region ("thorax"). [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Notostraca) One in a series of original divisions of body. Head consists of five somites, while somites of thorax and abdomen are variously fused to form units termed either segments or body rings. [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Diplostraca) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists of five somites, trunk of 10-32 somites (excluding telson). Posteriormost somites drawn out into series of spine-like projections dorsally. Telson occasionallu termed anal somite.
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Anostraca) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists of five somites, followed by 11 (occasionally 17 or 19) thoracic somites (thoracomeres) and 8 abdominal somites. Last abdominal somite bears telson (anal somite).
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Class Cephalocarida) One in a series of divisions of body. Head (cephalon) consists of 5 somites (fused dorsally to form cephalic shield), followed by 8 thoracic somites (thoracomeres) and 11 abdominal somites. Last abdominal somite bears telson (anal somite).
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Cumacea) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists basically of five somites, thorax of eight somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen of six somites (pleomeres). [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Tanaidacea) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists of five somites (plus first thoracic somite), pereon of seven somites (pereonites), and abdomen (pleon) of six somites (pleomeres). [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Tanaidacea) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists of five somites (plus first thoracic somite), pereon of seven somites (pereonites), and abdomen (pleon) of six somites (pleomeres). [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Decapoda) One in a series of divisions of body. Head (cephalon) consists of five somites (antennular, antennal, mandibular, maxillular, maxillar somites) excluding acron, thorax of eight somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen of six somites (pleomeres) excluding telson. Each somite basically consists of dorsal tergite, ventral sternite, and lateral pleurites. [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Amphipoda) One in a series of divisions of body. Cephalon consists of five somites (cephalothorax of these five plus first thoracic somite), pereon of four to seven somites (pereonites), and pleon of six somites (pleomeres).
See: Urosomite [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Isopoda) Body segment, usually having a pair of appendages. [Kensley and Schotte, 1989]
(Taxon-specific: Order Isopoda) One in a series of divisions of body. Cephalon consists of five somites (cephalothorax of these five plus first thoracic somite), pereon of six or seven somites (pereonites), and pleon of basically six somites (pleomeres). [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Mysida) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists basically of five somites, thorax of eight somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen of six somites (pleomeres). Anterior thoracomeres (bearing maxillipeds) may be fused with head.
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Stomatopoda) One in a series of divisions of body. Head (cephalon) consists of five somites (excluding acron), thorax of eight somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen of six somites (pleomeres) excluding telson. Each somites consists of dorsal tergite and ventral sternite and may be produced into lateral pleurites. (smooth, which carinae, denticulate) (See also antennular somite, ophthalmic somite).
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Leptostraca) One in a series of divisions of body. Head (cephalon) consists of five fused somites, thorax of eight, and abdomen of seven somites (excluding posterior telson). [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Subclass Branchiura) One in a series of divisions (segments) of body. Head (cephalon) consists of five somites plus first thoracic somite, pereon of three somites; abdomen is unsegmented.
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Subclass Cirripedia) One in a series of division of body. Head consists of five somites, thorax of six, and in ascothoracican, abdomen of four to five somites.
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Subclass Copepoda) A composite group of elements, usually exoskeletal, musculature, and nerve, which makes up a serially repeated component of the body. [Ferrari and Dahms, in press]
(Taxon-specific: Subclass Copepoda) A segment or division of the body. [Boxshall and Halsey, 2004]
(Taxon-specific: Subclass Mystacocarida) One in a series of divisions of body. Cephalon consists of five (fused) somites, followed by maxillipedal somite and nine thoracoabdominal somites. Last thoracoabdominal somite bears telson ("anal somite").
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Class Ostracoda) One in a series of divisions of body. Basically, head (cephalon) consists of five cephalic somites, thorax of five thoracic somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen (pleon) of five abdominal somites (pleomeres). Variously fused to form more or less distinct body divisions (cephalosome, metasome, urosome).
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Superorder Syncarida) One in a series of divisions of body. Head consists basically of five somites, thorax of eight somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen of six somites (pleomeres). First thoracomere may be fused with head. [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Thermosbaenacea) One in a series of division of body. Cephalon consists basically of five somitesd, thorax of eight somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen of six somites (pleomeres). Because first thoracomere is fused to cephalon, an alternate interpretation disintguishes six cephalic somites, seven thoracomeres or pereonites, and six pleonites. [Stachowitsch, 1992]
(Taxon-specific: Order Euphausiacea) One in a series of divisions of body. Head (cephalon) consists of five somites, thorax of eight somites (thoracomeres), and abdomen of six somites (pleomeres). Each somite basically consists of dorsal tergite, ventral sternite, and lateral pleurites.
(syn. segment) [Stachowitsch, 1992]