metaleg

English

Etymology

From meta- +‎ leg.

Noun

metaleg (plural metalegs)

1. (entomology) Either of the two hind legs on an insect.
   • 1923, Alexander Dyer MacGillivray, External Insect Anatomy:

     Likewise, in those insects where the metalegs are fitted for jumping, the prolegs and mesolegs are coordinated with the metalegs and fitted for walking

   • 2013, Walter R. Tschinkel, The Fire Ants:

     The parts make up different but constant proportions of the entire leg for the pro- and mesolegs, but in the metaleg, the femur becomes relatively shorter and the tibia longer as size increases.

   • 2019, Jeffrey H. Skevington, Michelle M. Locke, Andrew D. Young, Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America:

     In X. flavitibia the first three tarsomeres of the metaleg are bright yellow.