Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
paramere

paramere

1 9.9
One of two small parts of a male insect's sex organs used in mating
  • noun
  • /ˈpærəˌmɪr/
  • Specialized
: paramero
  • Detailed drawings of the paramere help scientists distinguish between closely related insects.

Examples

  • The entomologist identified the species by examining the shape of the paramere.

  • The paramere is essential for mating.

  • He used a microscope to study the paramere of the beetle specimen.

  • Do you understand what a paramere does?

  • The parameres of the male beetle play a crucial role during mating.

  • Researchers found that the shape of the parameres can influence reproductive success in certain insect species.

  • In several species of flies, the parameres are used to clasp the female during copulation.

Surface Forms

paramere singular
parameres plural

Morphology

paramere = para + mere

This is a classical technical term built from Greek para- 'beside' plus a bound form meaning 'part', but the specialized biological sense is not readily inferable for an average learner.

Etymology

Paramere comes from Greek parts para- meaning 'beside' and meros meaning 'part'. So a paramere is literally a 'side part', which fits because it is a paired structure that sits beside the male reproductive parts of some insects.