A medical device often consisting of one or more adjustable "blades" used to inspect the inner part of bodily orifices — such as the vagina, anus, or mouth.

It's often seen in furry art as a way to keep orifices open for sexual use, particularly penile penetration or just for gaping.

Identifying Specula

Note that specula vary in both appearance and mechanical operation, but all fall under the "speculum" label both factually and for tagging purposes. For example, a Collins speculum is a rather simple device with a knob or other hand screw on the side to adjust the distance between the blades, while more complex varieties like the Graves speculum allow both adjustment of the width of the opening at the outer edge of the orifice and the distance between the edges of the blades with knobs for adjusting each. Others yet consist of several adjustable rods which keep the orifice open. All such devices are specula.

A speculum used for opening orifices such as the anus or vagina differs from a hollow butt_plug in function (adjustability) and nature (a speculum is predominantly a medical device, a butt_plug is a sex_toy), and the two should not be tagged as each other unless both are present.

See Also

• gaping
• spreading