Definition

1. Noun:
   • One of a series of similar body segments into which some animals are divided longitudinally: A somite is a segment of the body of certain animals, forming a repeating, often nearly identical, unit along the length of the body. This segmentation is a fundamental feature in the embryonic development and adult anatomy of many animals, particularly in the phylum Arthropoda (like insects, crustaceans) and in chordates (including vertebrates during early development).

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • In the early embryo, the mesoderm divides into blocks of tissue called somites.
  • The body of an earthworm is composed of many similar somites.
  • Each somite in a centipede typically bears a pair of legs.

Advanced Usage

• "Paraxial mesoderm somites": In embryology, this refers to the paired blocks of mesoderm that form along the neural tube of a vertebrate embryo and give rise to structures like vertebrae and skeletal muscle.
  • The formation of paraxial mesoderm somites is a critical step in vertebrate development.

Variants and Related Words

• Metamere (n): Another term for a somite or body segment, especially in zoology.
  • Annelids, like worms, have bodies made of metameres.
• Segmentation (n): The state of being divided into somites or similar segments.
  • The segmentation of the arthropod body plan allows for great flexibility and specialization.

Synonyms

• Body segment: A general term for a repeating unit of an animal's body.
• Metamere: A technical synonym used in zoological anatomy.

Related Phrases

(This word is a specific anatomical/embryological term and does not commonly form phrasal verbs or idioms.)

Noun

1. one of a series of similar body segments into which some animals are divided longitudinally