Mussel Anatomy and Physiology
Byssal Threads: Attach mussel to hard surfaces such as rocks, boats, ect.
Water Circulation: The inward flow of water into the inhalant siphon (has 80-100 gills to capture food particles) and finally out through the exhalant siphon is the result of the beating of millions of microscopic, hair-like cilia located on the gills and lining the
mantle cavity. The beating of these cilia, which cover the gill filaments, causes water to be drawn through the inhalant siphon, into the mantle cavity, through the gill ostia (openings), into the water tubes of the gills, into the suprabranchial cavities, and finally out through the exhalant siphon.
Foot: an extendible muscular organ located in the mid-ventral region of the mussel, and its primary function is locomotion.
Circulatory System: Open system
Hemocoel: Where nutrients, gases, and wastes are exchanged
Labial Palps: Sort particles and move food into the mouth
Feeding: Once food particles enter the mouth, they pass through the esophagus into the stomach where a combination of mechanical and chemical digestion breaks them into smaller particles. The stomach is a thin-walled sac, lined with a gastric shield around which the crystalline style revolves. In all bivalves, the style is a gelatinous rod-like body that contains starch-digesting enzymes and is continually being used up and renewed. The breakdown of food particles is facilitated by these enzymes and the mixing of the stomach contents by the rotation of the crystalline style against the gastric shield.
Digestion and Excretion: The digestive gland secretes digestive enzymes that facilitate chemical digestion. The remainder of the stomach is extensively lined with cilia, with many ridges and folds that sort the material. When the particles are broken down sufficiently, they are carried on ciliary tracts in the stomach to the digestive diverticulum for intracellular digestion. Digestive cells in the digestive diverticulum take up small food particles into food vacuoles within the cells where nutrients can be used by the cells. The intestine carries both undigested particles and waste products to the rectum, where they are stored prior to evacuation from the anus through the exhalant siphon.
Water Circulation: The inward flow of water into the inhalant siphon (has 80-100 gills to capture food particles) and finally out through the exhalant siphon is the result of the beating of millions of microscopic, hair-like cilia located on the gills and lining the
mantle cavity. The beating of these cilia, which cover the gill filaments, causes water to be drawn through the inhalant siphon, into the mantle cavity, through the gill ostia (openings), into the water tubes of the gills, into the suprabranchial cavities, and finally out through the exhalant siphon.
Foot: an extendible muscular organ located in the mid-ventral region of the mussel, and its primary function is locomotion.
Circulatory System: Open system
Hemocoel: Where nutrients, gases, and wastes are exchanged
Labial Palps: Sort particles and move food into the mouth
Feeding: Once food particles enter the mouth, they pass through the esophagus into the stomach where a combination of mechanical and chemical digestion breaks them into smaller particles. The stomach is a thin-walled sac, lined with a gastric shield around which the crystalline style revolves. In all bivalves, the style is a gelatinous rod-like body that contains starch-digesting enzymes and is continually being used up and renewed. The breakdown of food particles is facilitated by these enzymes and the mixing of the stomach contents by the rotation of the crystalline style against the gastric shield.
Digestion and Excretion: The digestive gland secretes digestive enzymes that facilitate chemical digestion. The remainder of the stomach is extensively lined with cilia, with many ridges and folds that sort the material. When the particles are broken down sufficiently, they are carried on ciliary tracts in the stomach to the digestive diverticulum for intracellular digestion. Digestive cells in the digestive diverticulum take up small food particles into food vacuoles within the cells where nutrients can be used by the cells. The intestine carries both undigested particles and waste products to the rectum, where they are stored prior to evacuation from the anus through the exhalant siphon.