Anatomy question

Joined
Jun 21, 2020
Messages
79
Location
Dallas, Texas, USA
In several of the popular cephalopod books I’ve been reafing, I have seen mention of a “skull” or “brain case”.
Am I correct in picturing this as a rather thin, cartilaginous structure giving some small protection to the brain. Obviously, it couldn’t be a BONY case, eh?
 
In several of the popular cephalopod books I’ve been reafing, I have seen mention of a “skull” or “brain case”.
Am I correct in picturing this as a rather thin, cartilaginous structure giving some small protection to the brain. Obviously, it couldn’t be a BONY case, eh?
Exceptionally flexible, compressible and pliable, too, I’d imagine.
 
Not really any kind of brain case or skull. In fact the central brain is donut shaped with the esophagus running through the donut hole. The brain is located just under the eyes, the bag behind the eyes (the mantle) contains all the other body parts (gut, reproduction, elimination, etc.). When you feel around the head it does feel like there is some kind of cartilage but I have not dissected one to see if the tissue is actually thicker or different.
 
Not really any kind of brain case or skull. In fact the central brain is donut shaped with the esophagus running through the donut hole. The brain is located just under the eyes, the bag behind the eyes (the mantle) contains all the other body parts (gut, reproduction, elimination, etc.). When you feel around the head it does feel like there is some kind of cartilage but I have not dissected one to see if the tissue is actually thicker or different.
Thanks. Given their ability to squeeze through such miniscule openings, any references to a “brain case” (if it were of a rigid nature) didn’t really make sense. Could be just a bit of additional muscular “padding”, I suppose.
 
Thanks. Given their ability to squeeze through such miniscule openings, any references to a “brain case” (if it were of a rigid nature) didn’t really make sense. Could be just a bit of additional muscular “padding”, I suppose.
Are all the other organs rather loosely contained within a fluid-filled mantle, then, or are they confined within muscular “compartments”?
 
Not quite sure what you are envisioning. Even though the mantle looks like a bag, all the interior plumbing is normally connected (although ink sacks are not exactly "normal" so the plumbing is octopus, not vertebrate)
 
The octopus mantle is attached to the head at the front of the animal where squid mantles are attached inside only so that they are open 360 degrees. I am not sure that we have actually fully figured out where the spermataphores (or the sperm once released) go once they are deposited. In some squids it appears that the spermataphores are darted into the mantle (rather than placed inside via an opening) and that they "make their way" to the "proper" location. The sperm is stored until it is used. For octopuses that can be up to an estimated 3 months (timing varies widely by species). They are definitely alien beings.

Here is a short octopus dissection. The animal was preserved and is dessicated but it gives you an idea of how it is put together, in particular she mentions the "closed" structure of the internals.

 
Unlike their molluscan relatives, cephalopods have "piping" (my phrase) vs an open system. You may want to scan YouTube for a squid dissection to follow along with after you find one to examine.
 
I suppose I was envisioning more along the lines of how you described the squid mantle—open on all sides. May still give the supermarket a visit, now that I know what to look for.

I suspect the supermarket supply of octopus will be ready to cook...Ready to cook means that the mantle has been emptied, as it is best to remove the interior organs as soon as the octopus is caught. I am a bit sorry that I know this...
 
Thanks. That saved me a needless expense.
I have eaten octopus a few time in the past, but since finding TONMO, I regret it. I am currently reading Katherine Courage’s book and find it interesting, but would have preferred she’d have omitted the octopus RECIPES!
 

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