Metasomatic meaning

VII, Usually considered to be the tergum of the genital somite, but suggested by Pocock to be that of the other [According to the system of numbering explained in the text, if VII is the tergum of the praegenital somite (as is probable) it should be labelled Prg without any number, and the somites VIII to XIII should be lettered 1 to 6, indicating that they are the six normal somites of the mesosoma; whilst XV to XVIII should be replaced by the numbers 7 to 12 - an additional suppressed segment (making up the typical six) being reckoned to the metasomatic fusion.] (From Lankester, Q.

cavity of the prosoma from XIV, The first metasomatic somite.

tsm s, Tergo-sternal muscle of the enlarged first metasomatic somite.

But most important of the evidences presented by the trilobites of affinity with Limulus, and therefore with the Arachnida, is the tendency less marked in some, strongly carried out in others, to form a pygidial or telsonic shield - a fusion of the posterior somites of the body, which is precisely identical in character with the metasomatic carapace of Limulus.