Internal Anatomy
Just behind and to the left of the head is the ctenidium (FAO, 1999). This respiratory organ consists of an axis with filaments projecting off it (Encyclopedia Britanica, 2011). It is located between the mantle rim and the body. The above mantle is a feature of all molluscs. It secretes calcium carbonate and conchiolin to create the protective shell (Ruppert, Fox and Barnes, 2004). Therefore it is directly beneath the shell, covering the visceral mass.
Moving down the digestive tract of T. niloticus from the mouth is the oesophagus, which leads to the stomach and stomach caceum. The liver and gonads are placed at the animals posterior, although intestines move waste back up the animal to the anus at the anterior (FAO, 1999).
This link provides a basic outline of the T. niloticus morphology. |