Mandible (arthropod mouthpart)

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 called jaws. Mandibles are present in the extant subphyla Myriapoda (millipedes and others), Crustacea and Hexapoda (insects etc.). These groups make up the clade Mandibulata and comprise all living arthropods except arachnids and other chelicerates. Unlike chelicerae, mandibles are often used to chew food.

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