Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 503 views

    Squid Lab Guide 1

    Uploaded by

    api-233187566
    The document provides instructions for a squid dissection lab. It begins with an introduction to cephalopods and their features like chromatophores that allow for camouflage. The lab materials and procedures are then outlined which involve removing and examining structures like the pen, mantle, gills, ink sac, beak, and chromatophores. Students are asked to describe key functions and draw structures. The discussion questions prompt summarizing distinguishing cephalopod features, their relation to other mollusks, advantages of chromatophores, jet propulsion, and escape methods.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Squid Lab Guide 1

    Uploaded by

    api-233187566
    503 views3 pages
    The document provides instructions for a squid dissection lab. It begins with an introduction to cephalopods and their features like chromatophores that allow for camouflage. The lab materials and procedures are then outlined which involve removing and examining structures like the pen, mantle, gills, ink sac, beak, and chromatophores. Students are asked to describe key functions and draw structures. The discussion questions prompt summarizing distinguishing cephalopod features, their relation to other mollusks, advantages of chromatophores, jet propulsion, and escape methods.

    Original Title

    squid lab guide 1

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document provides instructions for a squid dissection lab. It begins with an introduction to cephalopods and their features like chromatophores that allow for camouflage. The lab materials and procedures are then outlined which involve removing and examining structures like the pen, mantle, gills, ink sac, beak, and chromatophores. Students are asked to describe key functions and draw structures. The discussion questions prompt summarizing distinguishing cephalopod features, their relation to other mollusks, advantages of chromatophores, jet propulsion, and escape methods.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    503 views3 pages

    Squid Lab Guide 1

    Uploaded by

    api-233187566
    The document provides instructions for a squid dissection lab. It begins with an introduction to cephalopods and their features like chromatophores that allow for camouflage. The lab materials and procedures are then outlined which involve removing and examining structures like the pen, mantle, gills, ink sac, beak, and chromatophores. Students are asked to describe key functions and draw structures. The discussion questions prompt summarizing distinguishing cephalopod features, their relation to other mollusks, advantages of chromatophores, jet propulsion, and escape methods.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 3

    MARINE BIOLOGY - SQUID DISSECTION LAB

    Adapted by Anne Maben from HMSS Living Ocean text


    INTRODUCTION:
    The cephalopods include squid, octopus, cuttlefish, and nautilus. The class name, CEPHALOPODA, meaning
    "head-foot," aptly describes this group. The foot in this group has specialized by dividing into arms, which are
    attached to the head. Most cephalopods do not have external shells. The squid has an internal remnant of a shell,
    called a pen, that looks like a sheet of thick plastic. This long, thin shell helps support the body. The cuttlefish, a
    close relative of the squid, has a harder, more brittle plate, called a cuttlebone. A cuttlebone is made of calcium
    carbonate (CaCO3) secreted by the animal; in composition it is similar to the shells of other mollusks. Gas moving
    in and out of chambers in the cuttlebone lets the cuttlefish move up and down in the water. Cuttlebones are often
    put in bird cages for the bird to peck on, sharpen its beak, and eat the calcium, a necessary nutrient.
    In the mouth of the squid is a beak shaped much like the beak of a parrot. The beak is not part of the shell but
    a separate tooth-like structure. When a squid catches prey, such as a fish, it bites off and swallows chunks of it.
    The squid has a small radula but it uses it only to pull in chunks of food past the beak.
    Cephalopods are also
    masters of camouflage, using
    pigment in their skin cells to
    quickly change its skin color to
    blend into its surroundings.
    These skin cells, called chromatophores, contain an elastic
    sac filled with pigment. The cells are attached to a set of muscle cells. When the muscle cells contract, they pull
    the chromatophore out flat, spreading the pigment over a larger area and making the skin darker. When the
    chromatophore is smaller, the skin is lighter. The cells can change shape very rapidly, producing a pulsating
    patterns of complex color changes. Cephalopods use chromatophores to communicate their moods to others bright red for anger or passion; white for fear. Pelagic squid even have bioluminescent chromatophore on their
    ventral side, which they can change the light intensity of to match the light from the ocean=s surface (making
    them invisible to predators below.) The highly intelligent cuttlefish appear to use chromatophores as a visual
    language between their fellows, a language humans have yet to decipher.
    In cephalopods, the primary
    swimming organ is the muscular
    mantle, which forms a chamber that
    opens to take in seawater. When
    the mantle closes forcefully,
    seawater ejected through the
    siphon jet-propels the animal in
    short bursts. Squids and cuttlefish
    change course by quickly
    redirecting their siphon. They steer
    by pressing their arms together.
    They can speedily elude an
    attacking predator. They can also
    squirt ink from the ink sac into the
    water, creating an ink cloud for
    camouflage and confusing the
    predator. The squid an cuttlefish
    can also wave their paddle-shaped
    fins to move slowly forward or
    backward. The fins also aid the
    squid in steering and in stabilizing
    their movements.
    Most cephalopods are relatively small. The giant squid, the largest of invertebrates, reaches lengths of 15 m.
    It is the favorite prey of sperm whales and the basis for many myths about sea monsters.

    MATERIALS
    fresh or defrosted squid
    wax paper
    dissecting scissors
    dissecting tray
    blunt probe
    microscope slide
    dissecting microscope

    PROCEDURE
    1. Lay the squid dorsal side down on
    a piece of wax paper laid a
    dissecting tray. Lay the squid with
    its head to the left and its siphon
    up. See Fig. 6-13.
    2. Reach under the animal and
    remove the pen from the dorsal
    side by grasping it firmly with your
    fingers and pulling it free from the mantle.
    3. Using a scalpel or dissecting scissors, cut the mantle from its anterior edge
    next to the siphon to its posterior tip. Do not cut into the internal organs.
    4. Using a blunt probe, find these structures and describe their functions. Refer
    a. caecum
    f. ovary or testis
    b. intestine
    g. gills
    c. pen
    h. chromatophores
    d. ink sac
    I. kidney
    e. heart
    j. nidamental gland

    to Fig. 6 -14 as needed.

    5. Examine a single sucker from an arm.


    a. Cut off a O.5-cm piece of the arm and place it on a glass slide.
    b. View it under the dissecting microscope.
    c. Draw a picture of it in the Discussion section.
    6. Observe the chromatophores, small freckle-like spots on the outer layer of
    the mantle. Cut out or peel off a small piece of the skin that contains the
    spots. Ob serve at about 2OX under a dissecting microscope. Stretch the
    skin, noting any apparent change of color. Record your observations.
    7. Remove the beak.
    a. Cut the arms from the head with scissors at line (A) as shown in Fig. 6-15
    b. Push out the beak. Wash it and save it. Draw a picture of it in the
    Discussion section.
    c. Remove the intemal organs and wrap them in a plastic bag or newspaper. Give them to your teacher or
    save them for feeding aquarium organisms.

    Name

    Date

    Period

    Group

    DISCUSSION:
    STRUCTURE

    FUNCTION

    caecum
    ovary or testis
    intestine
    gills
    pen
    chromatophores
    ink sac
    kidney
    systemic heart
    brachial heart
    nidamental
    gland (&
    &)
    beak
    siphon
    fins
    retractor
    muscles
    brain
    optic nerve

    1. What are the distinguishing features of cephalopods?

    2. What features relate cephalopods to other mollusks?

    3. What advantages do cephalopods get from their chromatophores?

    Describe jet propulsion and control of direction in a squid.

    5. Describe several methods of escape (defense mechanisms) used by cephalopods.

    You might also like