indirect flight muscle

views updated

indirect flight muscle The thoracic musculature that brings about the flight movements of the wings in most insects. It is not attached directly to the wings. The thorax is a box to which the wings are joined. Longitudinal muscles compress the thoracic box and cause the wings to move down. Dorsoventral muscles pull the tergites and sternites of the thorax together, causing the wings to move upwards.