prescutum

[/prɛˈskjuːtəm/]

Definitions

1. noun

the surface or part of a wing of an insect, especially a beetle, between the elytra and the wing itself

“The entomologist studied the prescutum of the beetle specimen.”

2. noun

a similar surface or part of an insect’s wing

“The prescutum of the moth’s wing is a distinctive feature.”

Synonyms

  • mesoscutum
  • metascutum