Explanation of Names
From Latin
ala, wing plus
truncus, trunk. Term coined by entomologist
William Kirby.
Identification
alitrunk noun , plural alitrunks
1-the segment of the body of an insect to which the wings are attached; the
thorax.
2-in certain
hymenoptera, such as
ants, the alitrunk includes the first segment of the
abdomen. Equivalent to the
mesosoma.
Diagrams showing the alitrunk, as used in describing the anatomy of ants:
Print References
Gordh,
A Dictionary of Entomology, p. 34
(1)
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913), available
here
Contributed by
Cotinis on 12 June, 2007 - 12:49pm
Last updated 25 March, 2008 - 11:06am