Biology 11

Name:
Purpose:

Squid Dissection

to investigate the squids internal and external body structures

Materials:
1. Thawed squid
2. Cleaned and sanitized scissors
Method:
Part 1: External Anatomy
1. DO NOT PLACE YOUR SQUID ON A DISSECTING TRAY USE PAPER
TOWEL INSTEAD!
2. Locate the head, tentacles and two eyes. The head and tentacles are
the ventral region of the animal while the two fins are the dorsal
surface. There are 4 pairs of arms and 2 elongated tentacles. In the
center, at the base, where the tentacles attach, locate the mouth and
two beaks.
3. The body is covered by the mantle that forms a sheath around the
visceral mass which contains many of the internal organs. Locate the
siphon on the posterior surface where head and mantle meet. The siphon
is used to expel water from over the gills and as a means of jet
propulsion.
4. The squid does not have a skeleton but rather a chitinous quill (pen). You
should be able to feel it through the mantle on the anterior side (opposite
the siphon)
Posterior Surface
Lateral Fin
(on top)
Arm

Dorsal
Surface

Mantle

Ventral Surface

Chromatophore

Anterior Surface
(underneath)

Visceral
Hump

Siphon

Compound
Eye

Tentacle
Part 2: Internal Anatomy
1. Place the squid (posterior) siphon side up on your paper towel. Make a
lengthwise cut along the mantle from the siphon up to the tip of the fins.
Open the mantle carefully and locate the gills, siphon retractor

muscle, eggs/spermatic sac, stomach, valve, ink sac, digestive

glands

A = Cecum
B = Lateral Fin
C = Testis/Eggs in ovary
D = Vena Cava (main vein)
E = Brachial Heart
F = Gills
G = Ink Sac
H = Siphon
I = Tentacle
J = Arm
K = Compound Eye
L = Intestine
M = Penis (males only)
N = Mantle

2. On the anterior surface find where the water would enter under the
mantle. Trace its path over the gills and exit through the siphon. You
should see Brachial hearts at the base of the gills. Squid, unlike most
mollusks, have a closed circulatory system. Locate the anus near the ink
sac.
3. On the posterior surface make a careful cut from the mouth back between
the eyes up to the siphon. Be careful not to damage the organs of the
head. Locate the brain (white mushy mass between the eyes). Remove
and cut open one of the eyes can you see any similarities from the eye
you dissected in grade 8?
4. Remove the buccal mass and pull out both halves of the beak. Move the
rest of the head to one side and using your fingers pull out the quill.
5. Dispose of all internal organs as per your teachers instructions. Keep the
mantle, arms and tentacles for calamari!!

Analysis:
1. How are arm and tentacles similar and different?
Answers: The Arms are shot, they have suckers on the entire arm, and have
4 pairs. The tentacles are long, there are only 2 and they have suckers at the
end.
2. How are cephalopods similar and different to bivalves?
Answers: Cephalopods are motile, have little or no shell, are capable of
learning, they have a eye and have tentacles. Bivalves are filter feeders, are
sessile, and have 2 hinge. Both cephalopods and Bivalves are in the phylum
of Mollusca, both can have shells, both have a ventral foot, a mantel and
ventral mass.
3. Was your squid a boy or a girl? How did you determine this?
Answers: Jared and I had a male squid named Squidward and we figured this
out by finding the sperm sac. Look to Jared Bouchard's drawings because I do
not have a phone and our home camera has been busted by my 3 year old
sister Halle.
4. Trace the path of food through your squid.
Answers: Below

5. Why are the brachial hearts so close to the gills?

Answers: They don't have a circulatory system so it is close on purpose so
that Diffusion can happen