SQUID DISSECTION

        On Friday , our Biology 11 class was fortunate enough to partake in a squid dissection. It was very interesting and exciting. 
         The purpose of this goal was for us to further understand the anatomy of mollusks. I think dissecting the squid was a great choice because it is one of the more adapted kind of mollusks. A squid is much more fascinating than a snail. By dissecting the squid we got to see the organs and the structure in actuality rather than a diagram from the textbook. 
         By participating in this lab I was able to look at the external and internal anatomies of a squid. The external anatomy consisted of the funnel, tentacles, arms, eyes, the mantle and the fin. A squid also has a beak, which can be seen once the tentacles and arms are spread apart. The internal anatomy consisted of the ink sac, stomach, liver, anus, gills. Their is also a pen which aids in structural support.
         I enjoyed this dissection immensely. Since I was not able to participate in the earthworm dissection this was my first dissection of the year. It proved to be very exciting. The directions were simple and fun. I also enjoyed the pre lab labeling because it helped me be more aware during the actual dissection. Overall this dissection was a great experience. 
Discussion Questions  
 External Anatomy Questions:

1.  A squid has 8 arms and 2 tentacles. 

2. Both the arms and tentacles are used for grasping prey.

3. This picture shows the direction that water comes out of through the funnel.

This picture shows the direction of which a squid moves, which is both ways. 

4. Two external features that are adaptations for the squids predatory life are the beak and the suckers on their tentacles.

A) The beak is a great tool for attacking and killing the prey. The sharp beak is also used for ripping apart the food. 

B) The suckers and hooks are also great adaptations that the squid has for predatory purposes. The suckers and hooks can grab on to their prey, making it more efficient to catch them. 

5. The squid shares many traits with the mollusks. The main general traits of a mollusk are the foot, the mantle and the visceral mass. 

The foot has adapted into the tentacles and arms in the squid. 

The mantle is the dorsal body wall the covers the visceral mass. The visceral mass contains most of the internal organs. 

 Internal Anatomy:

1.  A squid has one pair of gills resulting in two gills in total.

2. The ink sac empties into the water jet. The function of the inc sac is to distract predators. The water jet is used for locomotion. 

3. The function of the pen is to give the body support. Without the pen a squid would not have a structure and thus have difficulties swimming.

4. Waste exits a squid through the anus.