Chelatechelate:
pincer-like, as in a crab's claws, a scorpion's pedipalps or many chelicerae; in water mites (Hydrachnida), chelate palps have a dorsal palptibial process opposed to a ventral movable palptarsus (opposed to uncate).
chelicerae have teeth, usually on both
digits, and are called chelate-dentatechelate-dentate:
pincer-like chelicerae with teeth.
. If a series of small, even teeth
are arrayed on the fixed digitfixed digit:
the distal extension of the middle article of the chelicera; usually bearing teeth and a distal hook and opposed to the movable digit in chelate-dentate forms, but often regressed; in Mesostigmata the fixed digit may bear the pilus dentilis.
like the teeth of a saw, this is called
chelate-serrate. In some groups the serrations are soft and flexible
(serrate-membranous). If teeth are absent the condition is called
edentate, and this is typical of parasites. A special form of edentateedentate:
with out teeth; usually referring to chelicerae.
, or nearly edentateedentate:
with out teeth; usually referring to chelicerae. chelicerae occurs
in genera such as Euseius, where the digits are short, robust, and appear
like a pair of sharp tongs.
Author: David E. Walter
Content last updated Sept. 2006, unless indicated otherwise
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