In crustaceans, the lateral expansion or flange of a segment of the thorax or abdomen extending beyond the limbs.
From Greek 'epi-' (upon, outer) + 'meros' (part, segment), literally 'the part that sticks out on top.'
Epimeres are the shield-like wings you see on a crab's sides—they're not legs or armor, but rather extended parts of the body segments themselves, and they actually help protect the gills underneath.
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