radula
/ˈradjʊlə
/noun (plural radulae /ˈradjʊliː/) Zoology
(In a mollusc) a rasp-like structure of tiny teeth used for scraping food particles off a surface and drawing them into the mouth.Most mollusks use the radula to break up food, but the cone snail uses it to inject venom....
- In some chitons, the radula has teeth tipped with magnetite, which hardens them.
- Once the prey is snared it is bitten with strong beak-like jaws and pulled into the mouth by the radula.
Derivatives
radular
- It is significant that a minority of ammonites and incirrate octopods have radular teeth of this type, or exhibit much size dimorphism.
- Based on radular and soft-tissue morphology and personal observation of feeding behaviors, it appears that species from both regions feed suctorially with the assistance of a diminutive radula.
- Major interneurons fire cyclically during feeding in the radular retraction phase of the protraction/retraction cycle and drive many other retraction neurons.
Origin
Late 19th century: from Latin, literally 'scraper', from radere 'to scrape'.