nounplural noun haustella/hɔːˈstɛlə/

• The sucking organ or proboscis of an insect or crustacean.

  ‘It is about 4-5 cm long, and has a kind of ‘hook’ at the head, which is where the moth's tongue, or haustella, is formed.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Adult mouthparts are reduced, with mandibles essentially absent, but the maxillary and labial palps, and often the haustellum, are prominent.’
  • ‘The feeding structures of lice are complex, including the haustellum, a proboscis-like tube with teeth, which is used to pierce the host's skin.’