Digestive System
Bonellia viridis digestive system is very long and coiled, it is also very specialized.
it consists of three sections, the foregut which is made up of the pharynx and oesophagus (Edmonds, 2000).
Photos by Lucie Malard, Sections stained with HnE
First: We can observe the pharxynx and parts of the foregut in the top left hand corner
Second: Section of the foregut
Photo by Lucie Malard, Stained with DAPI and Phalloidin
We can observe the mouth region with the proboscis and a section of the gut.
The foregut is followed by the midgut which is wide, long, contorted and ciliated.
Photos by Lucie Malard, Midgut sections stained with HnE.
We can clearly observe the ciliation on the inner wall.
Photos by Lucie Malard, stained with DAPI and Phalloidin, ciliated lining of the midgut.
Finally, the digestive system ends by the hindgut which is short and is made of the rectum and anus (Edmonds, 2000). |