Chela (organ)

Chela (organ)
For other uses, see Chela.
Line art drawing of chela.

Chela (also named claw, nipper or pincer) is a pincerlike organ terminating certain limbs of some arthropods.

Name

The name comes from Greek (chele) through New Latin (chela). The plural form is chelae. Legs bearing a chela are called chelipeds. Another name is claw because most chelae are curved and have a sharp point like a claw.

Prevalence

Fiddler crabs have chelae of different size: a big left chela and a small right chela.

Many arthropods (mainly crustaceans and arachnids) have chelae. Most known examples are crabs, lobsters and scorpions.

Usage

Chela is a grasping structure. It helps arthropods to carry loads, to defend against other creatures, or to attack prey. Chelae assist in feeding, defence or even courtship.


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  • Chela — Not to be confused with Xela, a town in Guatemala. Chela has two main meanings. One derivation comes from Hindi (cela) from Sanskrit (ceta), meaning slave or servant . In English, the word means a religious student or disciple. The other… …   Wikipedia

  • chela — noun (plural chelae) Etymology: New Latin, from Greek chēlē claw Date: 1635 a pincerlike organ or claw borne by a limb of a crustacean or arachnid …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • chela — chela1 /kee leuh/, n., pl. chelae / lee/. the pincerlike organ or claw terminating certain limbs of crustaceans and arachnids. [1640 50; < NL < Gk chelé claw] chela2 chelaship, n. /chay lah/, n. (in India) a disciple of a religious teacher. [1825 …   Universalium

  • chela — I che•la [[t]ˈki lə[/t]] n. pl. lae ( lē). ivt zool. a pincerlike organ or claw terminating certain limbs of crustaceans and arachnids • Etymology: 1640–50; < NL < Gk chēlḗ claw II che•la [[t]ˈtʃeɪ lɑ[/t]] n. pl. las ear (in India) a… …   From formal English to slang

  • chela — I. /ˈkilə/ (say keeluh) noun (plural chelae /ˈkili/ (say keelee)) the nipper like organ or claw terminating certain limbs of some arthropods. {New Latin, from Greek chēlē claw} II. /ˈtʃeɪlə/ (say chayluh) noun (in India) a disciple of a religious …  

  • Claw — For other uses, see Claw (disambiguation). Talons redirects here. For the Bloc Party song, see Talons (song).For the UK band, see Talons (band). For the sports team, see Tulsa Talons. A domestic cat s retractable claw in protracted position A… …   Wikipedia

  • Claw (disambiguation) — A claw is a sharp growth at the end of a toe or finger. Claw may also refer to: Chela (organ), a pincerlike organ terminating certain limbs of some arthropods like crabs Claw hammer, a common carpentry tool Baltimore Claws, a short lived American …   Wikipedia

  • Nipper (disambiguation) — Nipper was the dog model for the painting His Late Master s Voice. Nipper or Nippers may also refer to: Nipper (comics), a British comic book Chela (organ), a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods Nipper (tool), a… …   Wikipedia

  • subchela — |səb+ noun (plural subchelae) Etymology: New Latin, from sub + chela : a grasping organ of the limbs of some crustaceans (as of the genus Squilla) in which the terminal segment folds back against the next one * * * subˈchela [f. sub 23 + …   Useful english dictionary

  • hand — handlike, adj. /hand/, n. 1. the terminal, prehensile part of the upper limb in humans and other primates, consisting of the wrist, metacarpal area, fingers, and thumb. 2. the corresponding part of the forelimb in any of the higher vertebrates. 3 …   Universalium

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