Mandibulata

arthropod subphylum

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June 17, 2026

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Mandibulata is a classification of arthropods characterized by the presence of mandibles on the second postoral segment. This group includes crustaceans, myriapods, and insects. The term "mandibulata" itself derives from the Latin word for mandible, which refers to a jaw.12

In invertebrates, modified limbs often serve as jaws. For Mandibulata, these jaw limbs are the mandibles and, to some extent, the maxillae. These structures are crucial for feeding and handling food.3

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jaw
In the subphylum Mandibulata (crustaceans, insects, and myriapods), the jaw limbs are the mandibles and, to some extent, the maxillae. Such limbs may be modified for other purposes, especially in insects. Horseshoe crabs (and perhaps the extinct trilobites) can chew food with toothed projections (gnathobases) at the bases…
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In the subphylum Mandibulata (crustaceans, insects, and myriapods), the jaw limbs are the mandibles and, to some extent, the maxillae. Such limbs may be modified for other purposes, especially in insects. Horseshoe crabs (and perhaps the extinct trilobites) can chew food with toothed projections (gnathobases) at the bases…
Read More