GENERAL HISTOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The pyloric ceca (or digestive glands) and the cardiac stomach produce digestive enzymes in starfishes. Digested material is absorbed through the pyloric ceca for transport to the rest of the body. Each pyloric cecum extends the length of each arm.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Echinoderm Digestive System Their digestive system consists of four main parts: the mouth, stomach, intestines, and anus. Given their pentaradial symmetry and unusual body shapes, their mouths are almost always on the underside of their bodies, and the hole located at the top of their body is actually the anus.

Detailed explanation-3: -The upper part is called the pyloric stomach and the lower part is called the cardiac stomach. When feeding, it extends the cardiac stomach out through the mouth and into the shell of a bivalve mollusk. It secretes digestive enzymes into the mantle cavity of the bivalve. The enzymes digest the bivalve’s tissue.

Detailed explanation-4: -The pyloric stomach is connected by two pyloric caeca-hollow tubes that absorbs nutrients from its food. The pyloric stomach is closest to the aboral side of the starfish and is on top of the cardiac stomach which is directly over the mouth on the ventral side of the starfish.

Detailed explanation-5: -The pyloric caeca are digestive glands on the aboral side within the arms of the sea star. The pyloric ducts transport the enzymes made in the pyloric caeca into the pyloric stomach.