The segment of the sperm flagellum where the mitochondrial sheath ends, and the outer dense fibers (ODFs) associated with outer axonemal doublets 3 and 8 are replaced by the 2 longitudinal columns of the fibrous sheath (FS) which run the length of the principal piece and are stabilized by circumferential ribs. The principal piece makes up ~2/3 of the length of the sperm flagellum and is defined by the presence of the FS and of only 7 (rather than 9) ODFs which taper and then terminate near the distal end of the principal piece.