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scutellum, scutella, scutellar

Heteroptera morphology Green Stink Bug - Chinavia hilaris Stink Bug - Brochymena carolinensis Utah version - Pangaeus bilineatus Penthe obliquata Emerald Euphoria - Euphoria fulgida Anomala undulata Sphindid - Eurysphindus hirtus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
No Taxon (Glossary)
No Taxon (S)
No Taxon scutellum, scutella, scutellar
Pronunciation
skew-TELL-um; skew-TELL-ah; skew-TELL-ahr
Explanation of Names
From Latin scutum: shield. Scutellum is New Latin, meaning "little shield".
Identification
scutellum noun; plural scutella; adjective scutellar - the third mesothoracic tergite of an insect, often very noticeable in beetles (Coleoptera), true bugs (Heteroptera), and flies (Diptera). The scutellum typically forms a small posteriorly-pointing triangle at the base of the folded wings.

Also: any small, shield-like sclerite.
See Also
Divisions of thorax (front | middle | rear):

Dorsal surface of thorax (notum):
pronotum | mesonotum (scutellum) | metanotum

Lateral (pleural) surface of thorax:

Ventral surface of thorax:
Print References
Gordh, A Dictionary of Entomology, p. 820 (1)
Works Cited
1.A Dictionary of Entomology
George Gordh, David H. Headrick. 2003. CABI Publishing.