Perch Dissection

This post will take you through how to dissect a perch! But first, let's look at some facts about perch:

Where is it found?Perch are freshwater fish, they are found in freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers that are deep enough


What do they eat?Perch eat small insects, muscles, snails, fish eggs and other perch


How do they breathe?Perch have gills, therefore they take the oxygen from the water and process that through their bodies. Even if they are in water if it is too stagnant with no flow, there is no oxygen in the water so the fish will suffocate.


Fun fact!Perch are closely related to the walleye. They can become a great nuisance in a lake.

Intestines-The intestines of the fish are digestive organs that have finger-like extensions called villi that extend in order to increase the surface area for digested food to be absorbed.

Liver-The liver of a fish both physically and chemically prepares food for absorption and digestion.

Fat bodies-These provide insulation to the fish and also store food reserves for the fish. 

Heart-The heart of a fish much like other organisms is a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body.

Kidney-This is where liquid waste gets filtered out of the blood of the fish.

Spleen-The spleen of a fish produces and performs maintenance on blood cells within the fish.

Stomach-The stomach of a fish produces bile which helps expedite digestion.

Swim bladder-The swim bladder of a fish is what provides buoyancy to the organism and prevents it from sinking.

Starfish Dissection

This post will take you through how to dissect a starfish! But first, let's look at some facts about starfish:

Where are they found?
Starfish are found in all oceans; ranging from warm to cold to tropical to sea floors


What do they eat?
Starfish feed mostly on clams, muscles and oysters which they grab with their suction cup-like feet


How do they breathe?
Starfish breathe through their tube feet which are made of soft tissue that gasses can pass through


Fun fact!
A starfish is not really a fish at all, it is more in the category of invertebrates 

Tube feet-The tube feet of a starfish provide motion to the organism.  They also help pass food along the underside of the starfish and into its mouth.

Hepatic caecum(digestive gland)-These glands produce enzymes that assist the starfish in breaking down food.

Spines-The spines of a starfish provide protection against predators by making it harder to access the starfish's 'meat'.

Madreporite-This is where water enters and exits in order to access the system that operates the tube feet(stone, ring and radial canals).

Ampullae-These are small, bulb-like structures that control the movement of the tube feet.

Radial canal-This canal runs down the length of the starfish's arm.  It receives water from the annular canal and then passes it into the tube feet.

Coelomic cavity-This cavity is there to hold the organs of the starfish in place.

Central disk-This is the central part of the starfish from which the arms extend.  This is where we find the madreporite, mouth and anus of a starfish.

Anus-This is where digestive materials exit the starfish.

Stomach-The stomach is the digestive organ of the starfish which helps break down its food.

Crayfish Dissection

This post will take you through how to dissect a crayfish!  But first, let's look at some facts about crayfish:

Where do they live?
They are found in freshwater lakes, rivers, streams and ponds


What do they eat?
Crayfish eat small fish and insect larvae


How do they breathe?
Crayfish breathe through feather like gills found right below the eyes


Fun Fact!
Crayfish are fully grown in about four years and can live up to 30 years 

Antenna-The crayfish's antenna help it to sense touch, taste and smell.

Walking legs-The walking legs help the crayfish with locomotion.

Sternum-This is the mid-ventral plate of the body that is situated between appendages.

Eye-Eyes help the crayfish with sight.  There is one eye at each end of a stalk on the crayfish's head.

Anus-The anus is the outlet of the digestive tract and helps release toxins from the crayfish's body.

Mandible-The mandible is the crayfish's jaw.  It helps the organism crush food.

Gills-The gills are feather like structures that receive a constant flow of blood which releases carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen.

Pyloric muscle-The pyloric muscle receives ground up food from the gastric mill and acts as a strainer for substances that can't be digested.  It then sends food to the digestive gland.

Digestive gland-The digestive glands produce digestive enzymes that help absorb nutrients into the body of the crayfish.

Anterior gastric muscle-This is one of the muscles that attaches the stomach to the inner wall of the carapace(hard outer covering).

Mandibular muscle-The crayfish has two of these muscles; they connect the mandibles to the carapace(hard outer covering).

Clam Dissection

This post will take you through how to dissect a clam! But first, let's take a look at some facts about clams:

Where are they found?
They are found on the sea floor up to 8-14 cm below the surface.


What do they eat?Clams filter feed, they take nutrients and small organisms in from the water.

How do they breathe?Clams have gills inside their shells. They bring water in and out and filter the oxygen through their body.


Fun fact!The rings on the clams shells indicate age, similar to that of a tree!

Umbo-The umbo is the bump on the anterior end of the clam; it is the oldest part of the clam.

Gonad-This is the clam's reproductive organ that produces either eggs or sperm.

Mantle-The mantle is skin that covers the clam body to protect its organs.

Posterior abductor muscle-This pulls the valves together on the back side of the clam.

Gills-This is where gas exchanges between water and blood take place.  It also captures microscopic food from the water.

Foot-The foot of a clam is a muscular appendage that pushes the clam along a surface.

Hinge ligament-This ligament hinges the two valves of the clam together and is located near the umbo.

Labial palps-The labial palps are attached to the anterior end of the clam and join together to form a lip for the mouth of the clam.  They have cilia that helps guide food towards the mouth.

Anterior-This is a fancy way of saying 'front'.  This is where the foot of the clam sticks out and is closer to the umbo.

Posterior-This is a fancy way of saying 'behind'.  This is where siphons(excrete waste and bring water into clam) are located and is further from the umbo.

Growth ring-These are the rings on the shell of the clam that tell us how old a clam is.

Earthworm Dissection

This post will take you through how to dissect an earthworm! But first, let's take a look at some facts about the earthworm:

Where is it found?Earthworms are found in the soil of the earth. They are natural fertilizers. They consume dirt and add nutrients to the soil


What do they eat?Earthworms eat the soil, taking in all the nutrients, bacteria and fungus in the soil. After it passes 
through their body they add fresh nutrients to the soil.


How do they breathe?Earthworms breathe through their skin. Their skin needs to remain moist so the oxygen can pass through their skin straight to their blood stream.


Fun factEarthworms are both male and female. If they are cut in half they can regrow into a full worm again.

Pharynx-This is the thick-walled food storage organ of the earthworm.

Heart-The heart pumps blood to the ventral blood vessel where it moves onto the body.

Seminal vesicles-This is where sperm from that particular worm is stored.

Seminal receptacle-This is where sperm from a different worm is stored.

Crop-This is where food is stored.

Gizzard-The gizzard is what grinds up the earthworm's food.

Septa-The septa are heavy tissues that separate different portions of the body.

Intestine-This is where food is broken down by enzymes and absorbed.

Dorsal blood vessel-The dorsal blood vessel is one of three blood vessels in the worm.  This blood vessel returns blood to the heart.

Frog Dissection

This post will take you through how to dissect a frog! But first, let's look at some facts about frogs:

Where are they found?
Frogs are found in wet areas, near freshwater. They like damp, wet areas. They do not live in water but need it to survive. They spend adolescence in the water, then live on land for the duration of their lives.



What do they eat?
Frogs eat various types of small insects


How do they breathe?
Frogs breathe mainly through their lungs which they develop in adulthood, during hibernation however, they breathe through their skin through a gas exchange process.


Fun fact!
Frogs do not drink water, they absorb it through their skin to stay hydrated.

Tongue- The tongue of the frog is a muscular structure used to catch insects for food

Jaw- The jaw is where the tongue is attached

Lungs- The lungs of the frog supply oxygen to the frog

Heart- The heart of a frog has 3 chambers. The right and left atriums receive blood into the heart and a singular ventricle pumps blood out

Fat bodies- These are necessary for hibernating due to the frog's inability to regulate its own body temperature. The fat bodies provide some insulation and warmth to three frog during cold months.

Spleen- The spleen is part of the frog's circulatory system which makes, stores and destroys blood cells. It is where blood is held

Large intestine- This is the posterior organ of the digestive system, it stores undigested foods

Small intestine- This is the principal digestive organ which absorbs digested food

Pancreas- The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the front part of the small intestine called the duodenum which food passes into from the stomach

Liver- The liver processes digested food and secretes bile

Stomach- The stomach stores food and mixes it with enzymes to kick start digestion

Grasshopper Dissection

This post will take you through how to dissect a grasshopper! But first, let's look at some facts about grasshoppers:

Where are they found?
Grasshoppers are found in most gardens, fields, forests and any dry land in almost any climate


What do they eat?
Grasshoppers are herbivores so they only eat plants


How do they breathe?
Grasshoppers like many other insects exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through air filled tubes called the trachea


Fun facts!
Grasshoppers make their chirping sounds by rubbing their wings together 

Tympanic membrane-is like an ear, detects the mating calls of other grasshoppers and is able to listen for predators that might be lurking nearby

Labrum-used in food selection with the use of its chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors

Mandible-captures and breaks down food

Two Compound Eyes-able to view objects but also discern the distance between them and the object, also allows them to see behind them

Femur-hind femur is extremely large due to its large amount of muscle, third segment of the leg

Tibia-segment of leg inbetween femur and the tarsus

Walking Legs-helps the grasshopper to move around and hold its prey while it eats

Tarsus-leg segment after the tibia

Wing-helps the grasshopper to take flight and cover large distances quickly, helps to protect hind legs due to its protective covering

Antennae-help the grasshopper to feel and smell what is around it