sternumets

Sternumets are a fictional anatomical feature used in speculative biology and science fiction to describe small, plate-like structures associated with the sternum. The term does not correspond to any recognized human or vertebrate anatomy; it is used by authors and worldbuilders to imagine chest structures that differ from real anatomy. In reality, there is no scientific term sternumets.

Etymology derives from sternum, the breastbone, combined with the plural/diminutive suffix -ets. In many fictional settings, sternumets are described as mineralized or cartilaginous plates that form a protective lattice over the ventral thorax or attach to muscles involved in respiration and movement.

Morphology and variation: Sternumets appear in diverse configurations, from a single row of platelets to a contiguous mosaic. They may range from a few millimeters to several centimeters in size and may be ossified, cartilaginous, or keratinized, depending on the worldbuilding. Some depictions note bioluminescent or color-changing properties for signaling health or status.

Function and role in fiction: Proposed purposes include chest protection, reinforcement of rib and chest-wall mechanics, and defensive display. They are sometimes used to explain differences between species, integration with armor or dermal scutes, or evolutionary pathways in imagined ecosystems. See also: sternum, rib cage, osteoderm.