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proboscis
Sign in to savethumb|A Hoverfly|syrphid fly using its proboscis to reach the nectar of a flower
~5 min read
Encyclopedic overview
9 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Invertebrates
- Mosquitoes
- Acanthocephala
- Lepidoptera mouth parts
- Gastropods
- Vertebrates
- See also
- References
thumb|A Hoverfly|syrphid fly using its proboscis to reach the nectar of a flower
A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elongated nose or snout.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “proboscis” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.