pedipalps
Pedipalps, also known as palps or palpi, are a pair of facial/mouth appendages in Chelerate arthropods, found on the front of their bodies past their first pair of legs, and to the side of their chelicerae.
Pedipalps can vary from species to species, such as in scorpions, where their pedipalps carry their pincers. They can also come in more prehensile forms, acting as small arms of sorts. Similar to maxillipeds seen in animals like crustaceans, these more prehensile mouthparts are generally used to assist with feeding, though some like the spider's also are used for the ejection of sperm in reproduction.
Not to be confused with
- mandibles, similar mouthparts seen in other arthropods such as myriapods and crustaceans.