Jaw
![Human lower jaw viewed from the left](/Images/godic/202501/15/Human_jawbone_left3511.jpg")
![The mandibles of a bull ant](/Images/godic/202501/15/Bullant_head_detail3511.jpg")
![Jaws of great white shark](/Images/godic/202501/15/Great_white_shark_at_his_back113511.jpg")
![Moray eels have two sets of jaws: the oral jaws that capture prey and the pharyngeal jaws that advance into the mouth and move prey from the oral jaws to the esophagus for swallowing.](/Images/godic/202501/15/Pharyngeal_jaws_of_moray_eels.svg3511.png")
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of most animals.