Respiration in Pila

Respiration in Pila
Dr. Arun Kumar Singh

Department of Zoology
Respiratory Structures in Pila:

Pila commonly known as pond snail or apple snail is a gastropod mollusc. They inhabit fresh
water pond and lake. They live most of the time in water but can also thrive well on land. So
they are really amphibious in nature and exhibit double modes of respiration i.e., absorb oxygen
from water during aquatic respiration and utilize atmospheric air while living on land.
Aquatic Respiration:
Pila performs aquatic respiration by gill.
Gill:
In Pila a single ctenidium is situated on the dorsolateral wall of the branchial or right chamber of
the mantle cavity. The gill consists of numerous triangular lamellae or leaflets, arranged in a
single row running parallel to one another along the central axis of the gill. This type of gill is
called monopectinate type.
The basal end of each lamella is attached to the pallial epithelium of the mantle wall and the
other end hangs freely in the branchial chamber. In the middle of the gill, the lamellae are large
in size, while it decreases towards the two ends.
Histologically each branchial lamella is composed of two layers of epithelia supported by muscle
fibres and connective tissues.
Each epithelial layer consists of three types of cells:

(i) Ciliated columnar cells,
(ii) Non- ciliated columnar cells and
(iii) Glandular cells.
Both afferent and efferent blood vessels lying along the axis of the gill supply blood to the
lamellae through fine vessels and capillaries. The efferent vessel carries oxygenated blood to
the heart.
Mechanism of Aquatic Respiration in Pila:
In aquatic respiration, a current of water containing oxygen is drawn in by the left siphon .into
the mantle cavity. The water then flows over the gill by the help of ciliated epithelia.
Exchange of gases take place between the water and the blood vessels of gill.
The water is expelled from the mantle cavity through the right siphon. Two fleshy projections
over the foot, called nuchal lobes form the respiratory siphon during aquatic respiration in Pila.
Aerial Respiration in Pila:

If the oxygen concentration of water gets reduced, Pila comes out of water and respire by
taking in air with the help of pulmonary sac. A comb-like sense organ called osphradium, close
to the left nuchal lobe helps the animal to estimate the oxygen concentration in water.
Pulmonary Sac:
The pulmonary sac is a closed cavity hanging from the dorsal wall of the mantle in the pulmonary
chamber or left chamber of mantle cavity. The sac has an opening called the pneumostome in the
pulmonary chamber — which is guarded by two valves.
The dorsal wall of the pulmonary sac is highly vascular and helps directly in gaseous exchange.
Histologically, the sac is composed of outer epithelial layer, middle muscular and vascular
connective tissue layers and inner endothelial layer.
Mechanism of Aerial Respiration:

It takes place in two ways:
(i) In Water:
Pila can respire through the pulmonary sac while it remains in water. To inhale the atmospheric
air, it comes to the surface of the water. It then expands the size of the left
nuchal lobe, both in length and breadth and rolls up to form an elongated respiratory tube.
The outer end of the tube extends beyond the level of water and sucks in air from the
atmosphere. The inner end of the tube comes in contact with the opening of the pulmonary
sac. The alternate contraction and dilation of the mantle wall and the pulmonary sac help in
the process of respiration.
Following the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, from air to the blood vessels of
pulmonary sac and from blood vessels to air, the expelled air goes out of pulmonary chamber
through the respiratory tube. During this exchange, the branchial chamber remains
completely separated from the pulmonary chamber by the epitaenia which comes in contact
with the roof of the mantle.
(ii) On Land:
During dry season, when the water level gets reduced, or while living on land, Pila does not
use any respiratory tubes or siphons. The pulmonary sac directly becomes filled up with
atmospheric air to facilitate aerial respiration.
The shell remains closed completely with the help of operculum during the time of aestivation,
when Pila respires with the little amount of stored air kept in the pulmonary sac. Hemocyanin,
dissolved in plasma acts as the respiratory pigment in Pila.

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Respiration in Pila

Dr. Arun Kumar Singh

Respiratory Structures in Pila:

Each epithelial layer consists of three types of cells:

(ii) Non- ciliated columnar cells and

(iii) Glandular cells.

Aerial Respiration in Pila:

Mechanism of Aerial Respiration:

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