ScienceAugust 31, 2026
clavate
KLAY-veyt
Definition
Shaped like a club or having a thickened, rounded end.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'clava,' meaning 'club,' the term was adopted into scientific taxonomy to describe shapes that taper from a thicker end to a narrower base.
In the news
The term is used here as part of the scientific name for the Jorō spider, 'Trichonephila clavata,' referencing its specific anatomical shape.
Invasive Jorō Spiders Have Made a Home in Georgia, but They May Not Threaten Native Spiders
Read the full article ↗Discover Magazine