Proboscis

Proboscis is a term in biology that refers to an elongated, flexible projection from the head or body of an animal, typically used for feeding, smelling, or grasping. The form and function vary widely across taxa.

In vertebrates, the most familiar example is the nose or snout, but the term is often applied to specialized structures. The elephant’s trunk is a highly developed proboscis used for respiration, smelling, grasping objects, and feeding. In mammals such as primates, the noses or snouts contribute to olfaction and respiration and may be conspicuously large in some species, for example in the proboscis monkey.

In insects, proboscis commonly refers to the long feeding tube formed by modified mouthparts. In butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), the proboscis is a coiled, tubular structure used to suck nectar. In other insects, a piercing-sucking mouthpart can also be described as a proboscis when it forms a narrow feeding tube.

In invertebrates, the term describes a variety of feeding or grasping organs. In ribbon worms (nemerteans), the proboscis is a retractor that can be extended rapidly to capture prey. Some parasitic worms, such as acanthocephalans, possess a protrusible, spiny proboscis used to attach to the host’s intestinal lining.

Etymology and usage: the word derives from Latin proboscis, borrowed from Greek proboskis, meaning nose. The term is also used in common names to describe animal noses or snouts, such as proboscis monkeys and the elephant’s trunk.