o the ecto- or meta-blast or ectoderm.

Metabola: insects with a complete metamorphosis in which the larva
does not resemble the adult, and the pupa is quiescent.

Metabolism: is transformation: the whole process or series of changes
of food into tissue and cell-substance and of these latter into waste
products the first of these changes being anabolic, the second
katabolic.

Metabolous: undergoing metamorphosis or transformation.

Metacoxal plate: in Coccinellidae, that portion of the first ventral
segment included above the ventral lines visible on that segment.

Metagnatha: insects which feed with jaws when young and by suction,
with tubular mouths when mature; e.g. the Lepidoptera: see
menognatha and menorhyncha.

Metagonia: the hind or anal angle of a wing.

Metallic: having the appearance of metal: applied to a surface or color.

Metaloma: the sutural or inner margin of primaries.

Metamere: a segment, somite or athromere.

Metameric: made up of segments or metameres.

Metamerism: the arrangement in metameres.

Metameros: in Lepidoptera. the 6th to 8th abdominal segments.

Metamorphosis: is that series of changes through which an insect
passes in its growth from egg through larva and pupa to adult: it is
complete when the pupa is inactive and does not feed; incomplete
when there is no pupa or when the pupa is active and feeds.

Metamorphosis dimidio: an incomplete transformation.

Metamorphosis perfecta: a complete transformation.

Metanotum: the primitively upper surface of the third or posterior
thoracic ring: in Diptera, the oval arched portion behind, beneath
the scutellum best developed in flies with long, slender abdomen:
e.g. Tipulidae.

Metaphragma: the hindmost internal thoracic septum.

Metapleura: in Diptera, a swollen space at the outside of the
metanotum, between it, the pteropleura and the hypopleura; in
Hymenoptera, the piece behind and below the insertion of the hind
wings.

Metapleural bristles: in Diptera, are inserted in the metapleura.

Metapneustic: larva, chiefly dipterous, in which the spiracles are
confined to the posterior segment.

Metapnystega: that circular area of metanotum behind the
postscutellum.

Metapodeon: the abdomen behind the podeon or petiole in
Hymenoptera.

Metasternal: relating or attached to the metasternum.

Metasternal epimera: small sclerite separating the metasternal
episterna from the ventral segments.

Metasternal episterna: sclerite