clasper

[ klas-per, klah-sper ]

noun

a person or thing that clasps.
(in insects, fishes, crustaceans, etc.) one of the modified, usually paired organs or parts by which the male clasps the female during copulation.

Origin of clasper

First recorded in 1545–55; clasp + -er¹

In the male it is modified in connection with the so-called clasper.
The Works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 1 | Francis Maitland Balfour
Oh, it's a specially fast kind of racing-boat, built by Clinker and clasper.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, March 25, 1893 | Various
The males in Elasmobranchii and Holocephali have the distal end of the meta-pterygium prolonged into a clasper.
The Vertebrate Skeleton | Sidney H. Reynolds
clasper made a desperate spurt, and got nearly abreast of his antagonist, who won by a length, in 23½ minutes.
Norfolk Annals | Charles Mackie
The dominie was aboard the Falcon just before the clasper came in yestreen, and I saw him again after ye were brought here.
The Pilots of Pomona | Robert Leighton

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