Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term prehendere, meaning "to grasp". The ability to grasp is likely derived from a number of different origins. The most common are tree-climbing and the need to manipulate food.
Examples
Appendages that can become prehensile include:
|
and
feet |
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The of are all prehensile to varying degrees
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The front paws of and many of Procyonidae are prehensile.
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The feet of passerine birds can be prehensile
|
| Prehensile tail |
|
| Tongue |
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' tongues in particular are prehensile
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Some other ungulates' tongues are also prehensile to a lesser extent
|rowspan=3 |
| Nose |
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The noses of and are prehensile
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| Lip or lips |
|
|
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Cephalopod limb of , squid, and the cirri of
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To a limited extent, the of , hydra, and a few other invertebrates can grasp and move objects
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Uses
Prehensility affords animals a great natural advantage in manipulating their environment for feeding, climbing, , and defense. It enables many animals, such as primates, to use tools to complete tasks that would otherwise be impossible without highly specialized anatomy. For example,
have the ability to use sticks to obtain
and
larva in a manner similar to human
fishing. However, not all prehensile organs are applied to tool use; the giraffe tongue, for instance, is instead used in
feeding and self-cleaning.
See also
