On the Anatomy and Function Op Stomach of Japanese Pearl Oyster, Pinctada Martensii (Dunker)

Abstract

The anatomy and function of the stomach of lamellibranchs have been studied by a number of workers (YONGE16-18), OWEN9′10), PURCHON11-14), NAKAZIMA4-8) and others), and of the Family Pteriidae PURCHON12) took up Pinctada vulgaris representing the family. NAKAZIMA7) working on Pteria maxima, Pinctada martensii and Aterina japonica, as less specialized species in Pelecypoda, described differentiation of the organ among these species. Those authors, however, have not gone in details as to animal-food materials and the function and physiology of food selection, digestion, etc. of the digestive organ. Our knowledge on P. martensii and most of pseudolamel-libranchs in this respect is by no means adequate as far as the literatures came across are concerned. The present study, under such circumstances, has been started to make clear the problems on P. martensii, which is one of the most valuable species of molusk in the fisheries industry of Japan. The writer wishes to express his deep gratitude to Mr. Sigeru OTA, Chief of National Pearl Research Laboratory, who provided the present study as his research project in the laboratory, and to Dr. Masao NAKAZIMA, Professor of Tokyo University of Education, who was generous to supply the kind suggestions. Also, the writer is indebted to Dr. Katsuzo KURONTJMA, Assistant Professor of Tokyo University of Fisheries, for his kind and careful correction of the manuscript. Messrs. Haruhiko UEMOTO and Akira MACHII are herewith recorded with his high appreciation in their sincere help given to his laboratory work. © 1965, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.