Section through an octopus shows the mouth passing through the brain | Hacker News Reader

Section through an octopus shows the mouth passing through the brain

anatomytoyou.com

89 pointssohkamyung17 comments

I recently watched a really good documentary series called Inside Nature's Giants[1], featuring dissections of various large animals. In the giant squid episode they have a bit about the donut-shaped brain. I found this version of it on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=088bhv3pjq0#t=49m34s

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Nature's_Giants

It would help a lot to supplement the section photograph with a sketch that had labels. The phrase "stripey-looking brain between the two advanced camera eyes" is not especially helpful. What a contrast this modern site makes to the old-fashioned Gray's Anatomy, e.g. http://www.bartleby.com/107/247.html for the human stomach.

First, I am open to correction. I usually focus on human anatomy, but have a special place in my heart for histology. This image is a histological slide, (a picture of stained cells) and rather low resolution, so specific cell structures are difficult to determine. Based on my education, experience, and links below, I believe the following to be the labeled anatomy.

http://bioscicreative.com/portfolio-item/octopus-histologica...

Sources: http://springerplus.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2193-1... http://tolweb.org/accessory/Cephalopod_Digestive_System_Comp... http://chestofbooks.com/animals/zoology/Anatomy/Cephalopoda-... http://tolweb.org/notes/?note_id=4541 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_system_of_gastropods

Our guts also pass through our brain... our gut brain, [1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enteric_nervous_system

I am unable to comprehend the image in the article :( Can someone point me to a labeled diagram explaining how the mouth passes thru the brain?

I'm not trying to be snarky, but did you read the text? I had the same problem until I read the text, where it actually spells it out quite clearly.

I did read it. I think that my lack of comfort with English and total lack of knowledge of octopus anatomy has sabotaged my brain.

TLDR;

>This section through a young octopus shows the stripey-looking brain between the two advanced camera eyes, surrounding part of the oesophagus (small white centre towards the base of the eyes). Also visible are two of the characteristic arms, with multiple suckers and thick nerves running through them. The strange and seemingly precarious arrangement of the

I believe the problem is that it's a section of a 3d ring structure wrapped around a cylinder without the accompanying text highlighting that fact.

Is this correct? https://i.imgur.com/1tQcqAB.png

Sorry for being dumb :/

I think the top brain is the digestive system.

Ah! Now it makes sense. Thanks!

Based on what appears to be pattern in the "top brain" I believe it to be some kind of secretion or filtering organ. Based on my reference links above in the reply to bluenose69, I think it is the digestive gland. The stomach is actually much smaller and has a hollow opening at the very "top" of the octopus.

Octopuses are so cool.

Because of their use of tools etc it helps us relate to them in a special way. They also help us realise we're not the only cool and capable creatures on earth. I love that about them.

Then you read about stuff like this! So cool.

Hail Octopuses!

Very clever creatures. It's such a shame they only have a two year lifespan.

Geez... And I thought brain-freeze sucks as a human!

title sounds like a metaphor for what's wrong with congressional spending

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