Note

Cephalopod Digestive System Terminology

Richard E. Young, Michael Vecchione, and Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003)

Cephalopoda Glossary


The digestive systems of various coleoid taxa can be compared here.

 

Anal flaps (= anal valves) - A pair of muscular palps that arise at the sides of the anus in most coleoids.

Anterior salivary glands - A pair of glands of the digestive system associated with the buccal mass. The function of the glands is poorly known but thought ot be primarily in mucous production.

Buccal mass - The muscular bulb that contains the beaks, radula, various glands and the pharynx.

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Drawing modified from Mangold and Young, 1998.

Caecal sac - The sac-like, thin-walled posterior portion of the caecum that lacks the internal, ciliated leaflets characteristic of the anterior portion of the caecum; present in some decapodiforms.

Caecum - A major organ of the digestive system that is a primary site of absorption. It joins the stomach "upstream" and the intestine "downstream." Digestive enzymes enter the caecum in the ducts from the digestive gland.

Crop - Expansion (i.e. a broading) or a diverticulum (i.e., a side pocket) of the esophagus for storing food. Present in Nautilus and most octopodiforms.

Digestive gland - Primary organ in cephalopods that secretes digestive enzymes. It is also important in absorption and excretion.

Digestive gland duct appendages (DiGDA) - Outpockets of the ducts leading from the digestive gland that are covered with glandular epithelium.

Esophagus - The portion of the digestive tract between the buccal mass and the stomach. Often a portion of the esophagus is enlarged to form a crop.

Lips - The inner and outer lips surround the mouth and possess numerous ridges or papillae.

Stomach - A muscular organ of the digestive system generally lined with cuticular ridges to grind-up food with the aid of digestive enzymes. The stomach may be greatly expandable in size and serve as a storage area, in species lacking a crop, until food can be fully processed.


References

Mangold, K. M. and R. E. Young 1998. The systematic value of the digestive organs. In: N. A. Voss, M. Vecchione, R. B. Toll, and M. J. Sweeney (eds.) Systematics and biogeography of cephalopods, Vol. 1, Smithson. Contrib. Zoology, No. 586: 21-30.

About This Page


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C. , USA

Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003)
Laboratoire Arago, Banyuls-Sur-Mer, France

Page: Tree of Life Cephalopod Digestive System Terminology Authored by Richard E. Young, Michael Vecchione, and Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003). The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

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