Mehrgliedrig

Mehrgliedrig is a German adjective used in biology to describe an organism, body part, or structure that consists of multiple segments or joints. The term derives from mehr meaning “more” and Glied meaning “segment” or “limb,” with the suffix -rig indicating “having.” The opposite forms include eingliedrig for one-segmented and unsegmentiert for unsegmented.

In zoology, mehrgliedrig describes bodies that show a clear subdivision into distinct segments, often with specialized appendages on different segments. Segmentation is a hallmark of many invertebrate groups, especially annelids (earthworms and their relatives) and arthropods (insects, spiders, crustaceans). In these groups, the body plan typically comprises a series of segments, sometimes organized into tagmata, with limbs or other appendages associated with various segments. Multiple segments allow functional specialization, such as a segmented thorax and abdomen in insects or numerous trunk segments with legs in centipedes. In annelids, the repeating ring-like segments, or somites, bear bristles and setae.

Usage is primarily in descriptive morphology, anatomy, and systematics rather than everyday language. It is less common to describe vertebrate bodies as mehrgliedrig, though certain aspects of embryonic somite segmentation can be discussed in technical writing.

In summary, mehrgliedrig denotes a multi-segmented organization found broadly among invertebrates and their morphology, highlighting how segmentation relates to function and evolution.