chelicera
Quick Summary
The chelicerae are the first pair of appendages in arachnids, located in front of the mouth. These appendages are often specialized as fangs or pincers and are used for capturing and manipulating prey. In spiders, the chelicerae contain venom sacs and are used to inject venom into their prey. Some arachnids, like scorpions, have chelicerae that are used to crush food. The chelicerae are a defining characteristic of the subphylum Chelicerata, which includes spiders, mites, scorpions, and horseshoe crabs.123456
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
arachnidBody and appendages…first of which are the chelicerae, the only appendages that are in front of the mouth. In many forms they are chelate, or pincerlike, and are used to hold and crush prey. Among spiders the basal segment of the chelicerae contains venom sacs, and the second segment, the fang, injects…
Read More…first of which are the chelicerae, the only appendages that are in front of the mouth. In many forms they are chelate, or pincerlike, and are used to hold and crush prey. Among spiders the basal segment of the chelicerae contains venom sacs, and the second segment, the fang, injects…
Read More
arachnidExternal featuresThe first pair, the chelicerae, often have claws or fangs. They are used to capture prey (spiders), transport a spermatophore (sunspiders, some mites and ticks), produce sounds (sunspiders, some spiders), cut strands of silk (web-dwelling spiders), and produce silk (pseudoscorpions). The pedipalps, the second pair, likewise are often highly…
Read MoreThe first pair, the chelicerae, often have claws or fangs. They are used to capture prey (spiders), transport a spermatophore (sunspiders, some mites and ticks), produce sounds (sunspiders, some spiders), cut strands of silk (web-dwelling spiders), and produce silk (pseudoscorpions). The pedipalps, the second pair, likewise are often highly…
Read More

