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Suprapedal gland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anterior pedal gland (apg) is shown next to the oral tube gland (otg) and mouth (mo) of the 3D model of thedigestive systemofPseudunela cornuta.

Thesuprapedal glandormucous pedal glandis an anatomical feature found in somesnailsandslugs.It is aglandlocated inside the front end of thefootofgastropods.[1]

The termsuprapedalmeans "above the foot".

The function of this gland is to producemucus.The gland opens on the front end of thesole,on the ventral side of the foot.[1]The mucus produced by this gland becomes a thin layer covering the sole of the foot, and this helps the gastropod inmoving.[1]

There aregland cellsin the suprapedal gland. For example, in the suprapedal gland of the land snailPomatias elegansthere are three types of gland cells: cells producingmucoproteins,cells producingproteinsand cells producing sulphatedmucopolysaccharides.[2]For example, the land slugLeidyula floridanahas gland cells in the suprapedal gland which produce weakly acidic mucopolysaccharides, neutral mucopolysaccharides and a protein.[3]

References

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  1. ^abcBarker G. M. (2001) "Gastropods on Land: Phylogeny, Diversity and Adaptive Morphology." in Barker G. M. (ed.): "The biology of terrestrial molluscs".CABI Publishing,Oxon, UK,ISBN0-85199-318-4.1-146, cited page: page 12.
  2. ^Shirbhate R. & Cook A. (1987). "Pedal and opercular secretory glands ofPomatias,BithyniaandLittorina".Journal of Molluscan Studies53(1): 79-96. (abstract)
  3. ^Cook A. (1986) "Functional aspects of the mucus-producing glands of the Systellommatophoran slug,Veronicella floridana".Journal of Zoology211(2): 291-305.doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1987.tb01535.x

Further reading

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