Spadix (zoology)
Diagram of the mouth of an adult male Nautilus pompilius. AS, antispadix; B, buccal mass; CS, cephalic sheath composed of the fused sheaths of the digital tentacles; O', preocular tentacle; O'', postocular tentacle; S, spadlx; SLL, superior labial lobe; V, Van der Hoeven's organ.
In the field of zoology, a spadix (/ˈspeɪdɪks/ SPAY-diks; plural spadices /ˈspeɪdɪsiːz/ SPAY-dih-seez, /speɪˈdaɪsiːz/ spay-DY-seez) is a secondary sexual organ found in some cephalopods and hydrozoans. In the genus Nautilus, the spadix is a composite erectile organ in the male located in the oral region which is composed of four highly modified tentacles and which is paired with a somewhat smaller antispadix that is also composed of four tentacles. The spadix is normally a concealed organ but quickly becomes distended upon the animal's death. The exact function of the spadix and antispadix in Nautilus is not yet known.[1]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Arthur Giese (2 December 2012). Reproduction of Marine Invertebrates V4: Molluscs: Gastropods and Cephalopods. Elsevier Science. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-323-15305-8.
Cephalopod anatomy | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell |
|    | ||||||||||||
| Mantle & funnel |
| |||||||||||||
| Head & limbs |
| |||||||||||||
| General |
| |||||||||||||
Developmental stages: Spawn → Paralarva (Doratopsis stage) → Juvenile → Subadult → Adult • Egg fossils • Protoconch (embryonic shell) | ||||||||||||||
 | This animal anatomy–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by . |
Categories:
- Cephalopod zootomy
- Sex organs
- Animal anatomy stubs