noun
- Plural of cephalothorax; the fused head and thorax region of arachnids (spiders, scorpions, ticks) and some crustaceans.
Usage: zoology; technical term
Examples
- The spider's cephalothoraxes were covered in fine hairs that helped it sense vibrations.
- Scorpions have a distinct cephalothorax that bears the legs and pedipalps.
- Under the microscope, the researcher examined the cephalothoraxes of several tick specimens.
- The cephalothoraxes of crustaceans like horseshoe crabs differ structurally from those of arachnids.
- Damage to the cephalothorax is typically fatal for spiders and other arachnids.