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

• Subcapitulum