Observation on the life history and functional morphology of Cerithiopsis tubercularis (Montagu) and Triphora perversa (L.)

Abstract

Cerithiopsis tubercularis and Triphora perversa feed on siliceous sponges: a long proboscis is thrust through an osculum of the sponge, or into breaks in the surface, to reach the softer parts. These are loosened by jaws, entangled in saliva and swept into the buccal cavity by the radula.The formation of a long introvert, which must be withdrawn through the narrow space in the nerve ring and narrow enough to go through an osculum, has brought about (i) a lengthening of the mid-oesophagus in Cerithiopsis, with a narrowing of its diameter, and a spreading of the oesophageal glands along its length, (ii) in Triphora, a reduction of the ventral glandular part of the mid-oesophagus, its stripping from the food channel and a displacement of the salivary ducts so that they open into the glandular part of the oesophagus. In Triphora there is a dorsal gland of unknown function on the posterior oesophagus.The stomach in both species is a simple ciliated sac: the oesophagus opens anteriorly and ventrally, and the intestine originates above this opening; there are two ducts from the digestive gland.The pallial region of the male and female genital duct is open; and there is no penis. It is suggested that the open condition of the duct and the absence of a penis in the mesogastropods is correlated with a long, narrow mantle cavity which contains a relatively large ctenidium.