Gnathosoma

The gnathosoma (from Greek γνάθος, gnáthos = "jaw" and σώμα, sóma = "body") is the part of the body of the Acari (mites and ticks) comprising the mouth and feeding parts.[1] These are the hypostome, the chelicerae and the pedipalps.[2] It is also called the capitulum[3] (however, this word also has other meanings). It is separated from the main body of the animal (the idiosoma) by a flexible section of the cuticle called the circumcapitular furrow[3] or circumcapitular suture.[4]

Ixodes hexagonus, a tick.

See also

References
  1. "Acarid :: External Features". Britannica Online Library Edition. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  2. "Ixodes ricinus: Taxonomy". Natural History Museum. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  3. Carruthers, Liza. "mite". Internet Encyclopedia of Science. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  4. Walter, David Evans, Gerald Krantz, and Evert Lindquist. 1996. Acari. The Mites. Version 13 December 1996. in Tree of Life Web Project.


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