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The telson (from Ancient Greek τέλσον 'headlands, limit') is the hindmost division of the body of an arthropod. Depending on the definition, the telson is either considered to be the final segment of the arthropod body, or an additional division that is not a true segment on account of not arising in the embryo from teloblast areas as ...
Telson The decapod ( crustaceans such as a crab, lobster, shrimp or prawn) is made up of 20 body segments grouped into two main body parts: the cephalothorax and the pleon ( abdomen ). [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Each segment may possess one pair of appendages , although in various groups these may be reduced or missing.
The tail of Nephrops norvegicus – the uropods flank the telson; a diaeresis is visible on the exopod (outer part) of each uropod. Uropods are posterior appendages found on a wide variety of crustaceans. They typically have functions in locomotion.
In front of the pereiopods are three pairs of maxillipeds that function as feeding appendages. The head has five pairs of appendages, including mouthparts, antennae, and antennules. There are five more pairs of appendages on the abdomen. They are called pleopods. There is one final pair called uropods, which, with the telson, form the tail fan. [2]
The telson is in general flat but with a raised thin median keel. The posterior margin (tip) of the telson form a short spine in some genera, such as Pterygotus and Acutiramus, and is indented (giving a bilobed appearance) in Erettopterus. [6] The function of these specialised telsons has historically been controversial and disputed.
The function of these specialized telsons has historically been controversial and disputed, and whilst study has mainly been focused on telsons within the Pterygotidae, the similarity between the telson of Slimonia and its close relatives should mean that the function would likely have been similar.
The head is conical, and bears two pseudoculi with unknown function. The body is elongated and cylindrical, [11] with a post-anal telson at the end. The mouthparts are entognathous (enclosed within the head capsule) and consist of narrow mandibles and maxillae. [8]
The long stem- or rod-like structure of the telson is ornamented on each side with tubercles (knobs), arranged in pairs, that gradually get flatter. The tri-lobed structure, sometimes dubbed the "post-telson" (though this structure was part of the telson), on the end of the stem is unique to Salteropterus. [4]