chelicerae
The chelicerae are the mouthparts of arthropods within the subphylum Chelicerata. Often referred to as their "jaws," some chelicera are hollow and often hold or connect to venom glands, which they use to inject venom into either prey or perceived threats.
There are three main forms of chelicera: jackknife, scissor, and 3-segmented chelate.
Not to be confused with
- mandibles, similar mouthparts seen in other arthropods such as myriapods and crustaceans.
See also
The following tags implicate this tag: 3-segmented_chelate_chelicerae, jackknife_chelicerae, scissor_chelicerae (learn more).