Relating to or belonging to the cercus, which is a pair of appendages at the rear end of many insects and crustaceans.
From Latin cercus, derived from Greek kerkos meaning 'tail.' The suffix -al makes it an adjective. This term is used in zoology to describe features of these tail-like structures.
The cercus is like a secret antenna at the tail end of insects and shrimp—scientists use 'cercal' to describe it because it acts like a sensory tail, helping creatures detect vibrations and movement around them.
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