Home » Web News Digest » Do Spiders Have Mandibles?

Do Spiders Have Mandibles?

David Miller • • 6 min read
Do Spiders Have Mandibles?

Spider Mouthparts
Spiders differ from insects in a variety of ways. Insects, for one, can chew, courtesy of their mandibles. Spiders lack mandibles for chewing. They make up for that with their chelicerae -- jaws with sharp edges, their mouthparts
mouthparts
The mandible (from Latin: mandibula or mandĭbŭ-lum, a jaw) of an arthropod is a pair of mouthparts used either for biting or cutting and holding food. Mandibles are often simply referred to as jaws. Mandibles are present in the extant subphyla Myriapoda (millipedes and others), Crustacea and Hexapoda (insects etc.).
› Mandible_(arthropod_mouthpart)
.

What are spider mandibles called?

The chelicerae are a spider's jaws. They are located on the very front of a spider's cephalothorax. Every Kentucky spider has a pair of chelicerae, and they are tipped with fangs. Chelicerae are filled with muscles, and are used to hold prey while the spider injects venom.

Do spiders have fangs or pincers?

Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated fangs, or similarly to pincers. Some chelicerae, such as those found on nearly all spiders, are hollow and contain (or are connected to) venom glands, and are used to inject venom into prey or a perceived threat.

David Miller
Author

David Miller

David Miller brings 15 years of experience in global economics, personal finance strategy, and market dynamics. He specializes in turning complex economic trends into actionable insights for everyday readers.