Kingdom Animalia II:

Phylum Annelida and Mollusca

NAME_______________________________

INTRODUCTION:

In this lab exercise you will learn about animals in the Phylum Annelida
and Phylum Mollusca. Both of these phyla are in the animal clade
Lophotrochozoa. Phylum Annelida includes the segmented worms,
including earthworms and leeches. Phylum Mollusca includes the mollusks
such as snails, clams, squid and octopus.

The learning objectives of the animal diversity labs are:

1. To become aware of the diversity and learn the classification of
animals by observing representatives from the major animal phyla.
2. To understand the different behavioral mechanisms for feeding by
observing feeding behavior in living invertebrate animals.
3. To understand how form relates to function by performing
dissections of representative animals and observing their external and
internal morphology.

In this lab exercise you will

1. Observe living & preserved specimens of annelids and mollusks.
2. Observe feeding behavior in conch.
3. Dissect the annelid Lumbricus terrestris and/or a clam.

Half of the class will dissect an earthworm and the other half will
dissect a clam. After students are quizzed on their dissection they
should keep the dissected animal and use it to teach the location of the
required structures to the students who dissected the other animal.
Students will be quizzed on both the earthworm and the clam. If there
are enough animals and enough time instructors may permit interested
students to dissect both animals.

Refer to your photo atlas, lecture notes and textbook as necessary.

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I. PHYLUM ANNELIDA: the segmented worms
Phylum Annelida includes segmented worms such as the earthworm and
leeches. The annelids are bilaterally symmetrical coelomate protostomes.
They exhibit segmentation, or the division of the body into units called
segments. Annelids are placed into classes according to the number of
chitinous bristles called chaetae that are present on their segments.
Annelids are grouped into two clades: the more mobile Errantia and less
mobile Sedentaria.

A. The Errantia includes the marine worms known as polychaetes.

Fleshy lobes, called parapodia, extend on the lateral surfaces of these
worms. The parapodia have many chaetae found on them giving these
worms the name “polychaetes”.

1. Observe the preserved specimens of the predatory polychaete

Nereis. About how many segments are found on one specimen?
_____Each segment should have 1 pair of parapodia. Does each
parapodium have many chaetae?_____ What structures on Nereis
provide evidence that it is a predator? ____________

2. Observe any living polychaetes that are available in the lab room.
Describe their movement.

B. The Sedentaria includes the leeches and the earthworms or

oligochaetes.

Leeches are external blood sucking parasites on vertebrate animals.

They lack chaetae but have suckers for attaching to their host and
chitinous jaws for cutting the flesh of their host.

1. Observe the specimens of leeches on display. Note the suckers.

Are they located on the dorsal or ventral surface? _____________
Are they at the anterior or posterior end of the animal? _________
Are the suckers lateral or medial? ______________

2. If there are living specimens of leeches describe their movement

noting speed, direction, frequency and shape of the movement.

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Earthworms, such as Lumbricus terrestris are hermaphrodites or
monoecious, but like planaria, copulate to exchange sperm. Their chetae are
few in number giving them the name oligochaetes.

1. Observe the preserved specimens of oligochaetes. Can you see

definite segments in each of them?______________________

Introduction: The earthworm Lumbricus terrestris.

The body of the earthworm is divided internally and externally into well-
divided segments called metameres. Internally, the segments are separated
by membranous partitions called septa. An adult earthworm may be divided
into more than 100 segments. Each segment, except the first and last, have
tiny bristle-like structures called chaetae (or setae). These structures help the
earthworm to move.

Earthworms are hermaphroditic, but copulate to exchange sperm. The

clitellum is a swelling of the body found in sexually mature worms and that
forms an egg capsule, or cocoon. Eggs are produced in the ovaries and pass
out of the body through female genital pores. Sperm are produced in the
testes and pass out through tiny male genital pores. During mating, sperm
from one worm travel to the seminal receptacles of another worm.
Fertilization of the eggs occurs in the cocoon created by the clitellum. First
the cocoon is moved over the outside body wall where eggs are deposited,
and then it is moved over the seminal receptacles where sperm are deposited.
Fertilization of the eggs takes place outside the body.

Earthworms obtain nutrients by “eating” their way through soil and

extracting vital nutrients as the soil passes through the digestive tract. The
mixture enters the pharynx, which is located in segments 1–6. The
esophagus, in segments 6–13, acts as a passageway between the pharynx
and the crop. The crop stores food temporarily. The mixture that the
earthworm ingests is ground up in the gizzard. Digestion and absorption
take place in the intestine, which extends over two-thirds of the body length.
Earthworms rid themselves of undigested material by mixing it with mucus
and secreting it through the anus. Farmers value earthworms because they
till the earth as they pass through the soil, stirring it up and constantly
shifting nutrients around.

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If you were instructed to perform the dissection of the earthworm read and
follow the instructions. You and your partner will have an oral quiz on your
dissection before leaving the lab today. After you have taken your quiz
keep your dissected animal so you can teach other class members the
location of the required structures.

QUIZ: Be able to identify the following structures:

Clitellum Septa Ventral nerve cord

Brain Esophagus Gizzard
Crop Intestine Dorsal blood vessels
Nephridia Aortic vessels (hearts)
Seminal receptacles Seminal vesicles
You must use your photo atlas for this dissection. Some structures will be
labeled in the photo atlas but not in your instructions.

(Morgan & Carter 2008)

Figure 1. Anatomy of the Earthworm
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Earthworm Dissection Instructions
Always observe external anatomy first. This will help you to identify the
dorsal, ventral, anterior and posterior regions of the animal so you can
dissect the animals correctly and identify the internal structures.

External Anatomy

1. Place the worm in a dissecting tray. Identify the dorsal side, which is
the worm’s rounded top and the ventral side, which is the flattened
bottom. You may see a dark line that runs down the dorsal side of the
worm, this is the dorsal blood vessel. The ventral blood vessel can
be seen on the underside of the worm, though it is usually not as dark.
Gently rub the ventral surface of the worm. You should feel a
roughness due to the chaetae. About how many segments does your
worm have?________________

2. Locate the anterior (front) end of the earthworm by locating the

fleshy bump over its mouth, called the prostomium. The anus is a
small hole located on the posterior end. Use a hand lens to locate the
mouth and anus.

3. Locate the clitellum. It is located about one-third of the way back

from the mouth. It is a thicker and smoother section of the worm.

4. Draw the external anatomy of the worm in the space below; label the
metameres (segments), prostomium, mouth, anus, and clitellum.
Label which side is dorsal, ventral, anterior, and posterior.

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Internal Anatomy

1. Place the worm with the dark, rounded dorsal side up in the
dissecting pan (check previous description to identify dorsal side!
This is important!) Lift up the skin at the clitellum with a pair of
forceps and snip an opening with a pair of scissors. Insert the scissors
and, with the scissors pointing up, make a shallow incision from the
clitellum to the mouth - be careful not to cut too deeply or you will
slice into the digestive system!

2. Using the forceps and dissection pins, carefully pull apart the two
flaps of skin and pin them to the dissecting pan.

3. Locate the septa; they are the thin membranous walls that separate the
segments.

4. Identify the regions of the digestive tract. The digestive tract begins
with the mouth. The most anterior part of the digestive tract is a
light-colored structure called the pharynx. The esophagus extends
from the pharynx to 2 swollen structures, first the thin walled crop
and then the harder, thick walled gizzard. The crop is a soft swollen
region of the digestive tract for storing food and the gizzard is smaller
and more rigid and functions in grinding the food. Leading from the
gizzard is the intestine, which runs the length of the worm to the
anus. What do you think you will find in the intestine? ___________

5. Using a hand lens, locate the small brain just behind the prostomium,
on the surface of the digestive tract. There are two nerves that pass
from the brain, around the pharynx, and meet ventrally. This nerve
tract is called the ventral nerve cord. With your forceps, gently push
aside the intestine to view the long white nerve cord running along the
length of the worm beneath it. How does an earthworm demonstrate
cephalization? ____________________________________________

6. Behind the pharynx are five dark loops wrapped around the
esophagus. These are the 5 pairs of aortic arches that serve as the
hearts of the worm. Locate the dorsal blood vessel; this is a dark line
extending from the hearts over the top of the crop.

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 7. Find the seminal vesicles located in segments 10, 11, and 12. They
are cream colored and located toward the anterior of the worm. These
are used for producing sperm. The seminal receptacles, which are
similar in color but much smaller, are located on segments 9 and 10.
The seminal receptacles receive sperm from another worm through
the receptacle openings. The ovary lies underneath the vesicles,
however it may be difficult to locate.

8. Using the scissors, make an incision approximately 2 cm long

posterior to the clitellum on the dorsal surface. Pin the skin to the
dissecting pan. Locate the excretory organs called nephridia. These
paired organs are tiny white, coiled tubes found in each segment of
the worm body. The nephridia remove nitrogenous waste similar to
the nephrons in your kidneys.

IV. PHYLUM MOLLUSCA the mollusks

Clams, oysters, snails, nudibranchs, squid & octopus are all considered
mollusks and are placed in the animal phylum Mollusca. The mollusks are
all bilaterally symmetrical coelomate protostomes. They have a
complete gut with specialized regions and exhibit cephalization.
Mollusks are found in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

The coelom of mollusks is a true coelom but only encloses the heart and
intestine. The other organs are embedded in a solid mass of tissue called the
visceral mass. Mollusks have a muscular foot, used for locomotion.
Herbivore and carnivore mollusks use a spiny tongue known as a radula,
either for scraping algae off rocks in the case of herbivores, or for piercing
prey in the case of carnivores. Mollusks also have a cape-like structure
known as a mantle. The mantle encloses the visceral mass like a cape and
secretes a hard shell of calcium carbonate.

Mollusks are organized into clades according to aspects of their shell and
foot. Gastropoda includes snails with spirally shaped shells and a foot in
the "belly" region. Bivalvia includes the bivalves: animals such as clams
and oysters, in which the shell is composed of two hinged valves and the
foot is hatchet shaped. Cephalopoda includes the squid, cuttlefish and
octopus. Cephalapods have a foot that has been modified to function as a
head and lack an external shell.
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A. CEPHALOPODA

This group includes the squid, cuttlefish and octopus. These animals
have only a small reduced internal shell. In squid it is called the pen. In
cephalapods the foot is modified into a head with eyes, tentacles and
arms. Squid move by jet propulsion. While swimming, water enters the
mantle cavity of the squid and is squirted out the siphon. The siphon
can be moved by strong muscles to allow for complex movements in all
directions.

Squid are efficient predators due to their well-developed eyes, complex

nervous system and quick, complex movements. The radula is
surrounded by a bony beak similar to a bird's beak. Cephalapods also
have an ink gland which can release ink when the animal is threatened,
allowing the animal to escape danger.

1. Observe the specimens of cephalopods on display. List the names

of the cephalopods you observe.

2. Using latex gloves, carefully observe the external anatomy of the

squid. Refer to your photo atlas and identify the tentacles,
anterior and posterior arms, beaklike jaws, eyes, siphon,
mantle and mantle cavity.

What is the shape of the mantle? _____________________ Are

there suction cups on the arms?_____ on the tentacles? ______
What is their function? ____________________________ Identify
the siphon. What is its function? __________________________

There may also be a dissected squid for you to observe. If so, refer
to your photo atlas and list what internal structures you are able to
identify.

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B. BIVALVIA
This group includes the clams, oysters, mussels, razor clams and scallops.
As discussed previously, mollusks are classified in part by aspects of
their shell. Bivalves have 2 valves attached with a hinge.

1. Observe the specimens on display. Besides differing in size, how

do the shells of the bivalves differ? Be specific. If shape differs
describe the different shapes. If color differs describe the different
colors.

2. Introduction: The Clam

Like all bivalve mollusks, a clam has two valves connected at a hinge.
The shell is produced by a mantle, which lines the valves and
surrounds its soft internal body. The muscular foot is roughly
triangular, or hatchet shaped, and it enables the clam to burrow itself
in mud or sand. The soft tissue above the foot is the visceral mass.
The visceral mass contains the clam's body organs.

If you were instructed to perform the dissection of the clam read and
follow the instructions. You and your partner will have an oral quiz
on your dissection before leaving the lab today. After you have taken
your quiz keep your dissected animal so you can teach other class
members the location of the required structures.

QUIZ: be able to identify the following structures:

valves (shells) umbo

hinge mantle
foot visceral mass
gills mouth
labial palps adductor muscles

NOTE: There is no distinct boundary between the foot and the

visceral mass; The visceral mass is the fleshy mass between the foot
and the hinge of the valves.

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 You must use your photo atlas to accurately identify all structures.

Figure 2 Anatomy of the Clam

Clam Dissection Instructions Always observe external anatomy first. This

will help you to identify the dorsal, ventral, anterior and posterior regions of
the animal so you can dissect the animals correctly and identify the internal
structures.

External anatomy

1. Identify the two valves (shells). The valves are held together by a
hinge located near the umbo (a bump on the valves). The hinge and
the umbo are located dorsally and the valves open ventrally. The
umbo is located on the anterior end of the clam.

2. To determine the right and left valves, hold the clam vertically,
dorsal surface up and with the umbo pointing away from your body,
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 cupping one of your hands over each valve. The valve in your right
hand is the right valve; the valve in your left hand is the left valve.
3. On each valve there are growth rings. The umbo is the oldest part of
the clam shell. Label: umbo, growth rings, anterior end, posterior
end, ventral surface, dorsal surface, and whether you are viewing
the left or right valve on the picture below.

Internal Anatomy:

1. Two strong adductor muscles inside the shell hold the two valves
together. A wooden peg has been placed between the two valves. To
pry the valves open further you will need to cut the anterior and
posterior adductor muscles. Place the clam in the dissecting tray as
shown in the previous image. Insert the blade of a knife between the
valves on the anterior end of the clam as close as to where the valves
join as possible. You will feel some tough tissue. This is the anterior
adductor muscle. With the sharp edge of the knife pointed toward the
umbo cut the adductor muscle. Repeat this procedure to cut the
posterior adductor muscle.

2. Carefully lift the left valve. As you lift, use your scalpel to gently
loosen the mantle from the valve. The body of the clam should be
lying in the right valve.

3. Identify the mantle, the tissue that lines the valves & covers the soft
body of the clam. Find the mantle cavity, the space inside the mantle.

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4. Look at the posterior end of the clam where the right and left mantle
come together. Locate two openings on the posterior end. The more
ventral opening is the incurrent siphon and the more dorsal opening
is the excurrent siphon. What do you think is the function of the
siphons?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

5. Lift the mantle and identify the visceral mass above, or dorsal to, the
muscular foot. What is the shape of the foot and what is its function?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

6. Locate the gills. The gills have a pleated or feathery appearance. The
gills have two functions. One function is for feeding. As water
comes into the body, it passes over the gills and traps food particles.
What is the other function of the gills? _________________________

7. Locate the labial palps; flap-like structures that surround and guide
food into the clam's mouth. Beneath the palps, find the mouth. Look
above the posterior adductor muscle and locate the anus.

8. Use the scalpel to carefully cut the visceral mass from where it joins
the foot dorsally toward the region directly below the hinge. Most of
the internal organs are embedded in the solid tissue of the visceral
mass and may be difficult to locate.

9. Attempt to locate the spongy, yellowish reproductive organs

(gonads), the digestive gland, a greenish structure that surrounds the
stomach and the long, coiled intestine extending from the stomach.
Find the area near the dorsal surface just ventral to where the umbo of
the valves was and reddish brown to black in color. In this region the
intestine passes through the pericardial sac (cavity) which is a
reduced true coelom. The clam's heart is in this area.

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C. GASTROPODA

Gastropods include the snails, limpets, slugs and nudibranchs. If a shell is

present it will be a single, spirally shaped sheet and the foot will spread
under the shell (in the "belly" or ventral region) as they move across the
substrate. Terrestrial, aquatic and marine snails exist. Slugs and nudibranchs
lack shells.

1. Observe the preserved specimens on display. Note the variety in

shells. In some the spiral shape is more obvious than in others. Are all
of the garstropod shells spiral?______Describe the variation in shells.

2. Observe the preserved specimens of a slug and nudibranch. How do

they differ from the other mollusks with regard to a shell?

3. Observe the movement of any living snails available. Describe the

speed, shape, direction and shape of their movement.

4. Feeding Behavior of a Gastropod: the Conch

Conches are large marine gastropods that are generally omnivorous

scavengers. The area where the foot emerges from the shell can be
covered with a hard cover called an operculum. When they retreat into
their shell the operculum covers the opening. Conches eat algae and also
dead plant or animal matter that they find as they move through their
environment. They have a long siphon which they extend when they are
searching for food. Their radula is in the mouth which is at the end of a
long proboscis which is extended during feeding.

If a conch is available the instructor will place it in a glass basin with a

series of test tubes of various sizes. A piece of dead shrimp will be at the
bottom of each tube. Record your observations below describing the
movement of the siphon and the proboscis. What is the longest length the
proboscis has extended to obtain food?

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QUESTIONS

1. Compare how well you performed on the two dissection quizzes.

How confident did you feel during each quiz? How did your quiz
grades compare? Did you learn and remember the structures on the
animal you dissected as well, or not as well, as the structures on the
other animal, taught to you by a classmate?

2. COMPARISON TABLES: Complete Table 1 & Table 2. The first 2

columns of Table 2 should have been completed with Animalia I Lab.

Table 1 Comparison of Mollusks

Characteristic Clam Snail Squid
Clade Name: Gastropod,
Cephalopod or Bivalvia

Shell: shape, size and

location

Locomotion: structures &

method

Cephalization: if present
state the structures

Foot: shape, size and

location

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Table 2 Comparison of flatworm, roundworm and earthworm
Characteristic Flatworm Roundworm Earthworm
(Animal I Lab) (Animal I Lab) (Animal II Lab)
Phylum

Genus or species
observed
Segmented?
(yes or no)
Type of coelom

Complete or
incomplete gut
Regions of gut
(name regions)

Monoecious or
Dioecious?
Structures for
excretion (name)

Circulatory
system? (yes or no)
Structures of
respiration (name)

Reproductive
Structures (name)

Structures of
locomotion (name)

Describe
movement

LAB ASSIGNMENT (10 pts): The completed pages of the lab should be
submitted at the beginning of the next lab.

LAB QUIZ (10pts): At the beginning of the next lab period you will have a
quiz on the classification in this lab exercise. You may also be asked to
identify structures of the animals dissected in this exercise.
PGMcManus 8/15/18 ; STremblay earthworm dissection

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