snouted

Snouted is an adjective used in biology to describe organisms that possess a prominent forward-projecting nose or face extension, commonly referred to as a snout. The snout typically houses sensory structures and mouthparts and is often adapted to feeding, probing, or sensing environments. The term is widely used in zoological descriptions and in paleontology for fossil species with elongated facial projections.

Snout morphology varies widely. Some snouts are long and slender, aiding rooting or insect foraging; others are more robust or flexible, facilitating prey capture or manipulation of objects. In many mammals such as anteaters (family Myrmecophagidae), aardvarks (Orycteropus afer), and tapirs (Tapirus spp.), the snout is an integral part of foraging. In fishes, elongate snouts or rostra can help sense prey in murky water or reduce water resistance during feeding.

The term complements other anatomical descriptors such as muzzle and rostrum. While snout is a general descriptive term, "muzzle" and "rostrum" are used in more technical contexts within different groups of animals. The word "snouted" may appear in scientific descriptions, field guides, and common names to indicate this characteristic.