Inbiology (specifically theanatomy ofarthropods), the termraptorial implies much the same aspredatory but most often refers to modifications of anarthropod's foreleg that make it function for the grasping of prey while it is consumed, where the gripping surfaces are formed from the opposing faces of two successive legsegments (see illustration).
This is distinctly different from the grasping mechanism of a structure such as ascorpion's claw (a "chela") in which one of the opposing surfaces is an articulated digit, and not a leg segment. While this is most widely known inmantises, similarly modified legs can be found in somecrustaceans (e.g.,mantis shrimp), and variousinsect families, such asMantispidae,Belostomatidae,Nepidae, andNaucoridae (all members of these groups have raptorial forelegs).[1] There are numerous other lineages within various insect families that have raptorial forelegs, most commonly seen in the familyReduviidae, but also including several different families offlies, and a fewthrips. The arachnid lineageAmblypygi also has similar-functioningpedipalps.
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