Pecten (biology)

: pectens or pectines[1][full citation needed]) is a comb-like structure, widely found in the biological world.

Although pectens in various animals look similar, they have a varied range of uses, from grooming and filtering to sensory adaptations.

This form, cognate to pecten with both derived from the Latin for comb, pectin (genitive pectinis), is reflected in numerous scientific names in forms such as pectinata, pectinatus or pectinatum, or in specific epithets such as Murex pecten.

In ducks, they exist on the sides of the bill and serve both as a strainer for food and a comb for preening.

The avian eye also contains a structure called a pecten oculi, which is a comb-like projection of the retina.