Squidddddd dissection!!

Last Friday my class was lucky enough to dissect some Cephalopoda (Head-foot) from the Mollusks phylum. Sadly I wasn't in attendance for this exciting new learning experience. I'm sad I missed out on this interactive hands on way of learning, as it always helps you grasp the material better, when you actually use it in real situations. However I know my classmates found it to be a phenomenal way of studying the information. Looking over the notes I saw that the class got to see some fascinating parts of the squid, like at one point they got to interact with the beak and see how it works. They also got to take a closer look at the internal organs of the squid helping them better understand their functions. Hopefully next time I will be able to participate in one of these hands on activities!

1.) The squid features 8 shorter arms and, 2 longer tentacles with suckers at the end.

some suckers

2.)The arms and tentacles serve two different purposes for the squid. The shorter arms are great for locomotion, because they are shorter than the tentacles, which grab prey and latch on to surfaces.

A close up of the sucker

4.)The suckers on the tentacles of a squid are a good predatory adaption as they easily grapple prey.

The beak

    The squids beak is also good as it rips the prey apart making it easier for digestion.

5.) The soft bodied portion that contains the internal organs called the visceral mass
      The also feature bilateral symmetry.

6.) A squid has two gills.

7.) The squids defensive ink sac empties into the water jet and it is a defense mechanism, it distracts the predator so it has time to escape.

8.) The pen provides the squid with support so it has shape making it capable of swimming. Without this vital body structure the squid would be a blob.

9.) I would assume that solid feces would exit through the anus.


Since I was absent I had to use other students photos