Interior of the Dogfish Shark

Reasons to Use the Dissection Video and

Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

 Reduce the number of specimens used by a class

 Increase the quality of the dissection for the students
 Review opportunity, increasing the learning experience
for the students
 Student unable to dissect due to pregnancy or
hypersensitivity to the preservatives
 Student chooses not to dissect due to ethical/moral
reasons

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Interior of the Dogfish Shark

As an educator
Safety you are responsible for the implementation
Considerations
of the dissection activity described in the video and
PowerPoint. You must
 Age appropriate have
activity safety
for the procedures
children and rules
in your care
 (Material)for
established Safety
yourData Sheet (M)SDS
classroom available
and make for all
sure accident
of the
reference
students follow the rules to ensure a safe environment.
 Poison control number/phone readily available
South Dakota Public Broadcasting and Dakota State
Latex free gloves, eye protection and apron/lab coat
University
 Eyewashcannot
station,in any way
shower be responsible or liable for
and sink
 any
Sharpinjury as a result
instruments of performing
(cut away from self andthe described
others)
dissection. Complete the
Sharps and specimen(s) dissection if you feel it is
disposal
 Encourage
appropriatestudents
and to report
safe for all accidents
your individual class.
 Basic science laboratory rules (strictly enforced)
Have fun and stay safe!

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Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Getting Started

 Use water to rinse the excess preservative from

your specimen Clic
Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Many times a section of intestine may be prolapsed (shown below).
Do not remove the prolapse; once the body cavity is exposed, it
can be corrected by following the steps shown in the photos below.
Gently pull on the intestine while placing pressure near the cloaca.

Prolapse

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 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Always cut away
3 from yourself

2 4

 Shown above - Make an incision on the side of the shark near the
pelvic fin. Place the scissors in the incision and press upward with
lower part of the scissors against the muscle/skin to prevent cutting
too deep; 1. cut toward the pectoral fin; 2. cut toward the opposite
pectoral fin; 3. cut toward the pelvic fin; 4. cut toward the opposite
lateral cut; carefully remove the flap of muscle/skin to expose the
coelom (body cavity) - example next Clic
Interior of the Dogfish Shark

Structure identification: Your specimen is

unique; many of the structures will not look
exactly like the photos or drawings in your book;
the following slides will identify structures using
multiple views and specimens.

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 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Spleen – Immune (white blood cell
production); filters and stores blood
Rectal gland – removal of salt,
deposits into large intestine

Small intestine – Digestion and nutrient

absorption
Liver – The three lobed liver is the largest organ in the abdomen cavity; the liver is
comprised of two large lateral lobes and a smaller medial lobe; the liver has many
functions including detoxifying blood, stores oil for energy and density reduction (lacks
swim bladder), and produces bile for fat digestion Clic
 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Esophagus – Connects Stomach – Food Male or Female?
Liver Cardiac
It can region
be of stomach
difficult to identify whether
pharynx to the stomach storage and digestion
the following structure is a testis
(male) or ovarySpleen
(female),
Pyloric especially
region of stomach
when the shark is immature. Both are
located below the liver, toward the
dorsal and cranial region of the cavity.
Spleen
Bile duct The organ above is a testis. The easiest
Rectal
way to identify this specimen Intestine
is bygland
identifying whether there are claspers
Bile ductbelow).
on the pelvic fins (shown
Small intestine

Regions of the Stomach – The cardiac region of the stomach has rugae,
Gallbladder
which – Attached
are folds to the middle
that increase surfacelobe of the
area for liver; storesjuices
digestive bile that
andwas
for
producedvolume
increased in the liver
for(gallbladder can have
food storage; a greenregion
the pyloric tint from the bile); during
(J-shaped) has the
fat digestion
pyloric the bile isinto
value leading released via the bile
the intestine duct
that to the small
regulates food passage Clic
intestine
 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Female or Male
Mature (Internal)
Female
Things to look for:
• Paired gonads in female (ovary); paired gonads in male (testes)
Oviduct
• Generally testes are slender; ovaries plump Female

Uterus –
Enlarged with Female
pups
Small intestine

Male Large intestine

(colon)
Cloaca Clic
k
Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Mature Female
Internal fertilization
Developing pup

During
Yolk copulation, the clasper of the male is
Dissect the uterus
inserted into the cloaca of the female,
transferring sperm. The eggs released by the
ovaries are fertilized in the oviduct. The
fertilized eggs develop in the uterus of the
female (ovoviviparous). The developing
embryos each have their own egg (yolk); no
connection to the mother. After
approximately 2 years the pups are born live
via the cloaca. -no additional parental care-
Preserved pup with
intact yolk Clic
k
 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Mesentery and Digestive System Removed (Male Shown)

Testes

Prolapse
Kidneys – Excrete waste from the
blood; long, thin, and paired;
contained within the body wall

Kidney Vas deferens

Vas deferens – Coiled reproductive duct;

transfers sperm; lies anterior to the kidney

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 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Pyloric
Closeup View region of stomach
Cardiac region of stomach
Rectal
gland
Spleen Spleen
Pancreas – Two lobes

Small intestine

Mesentery – Connective tissue;

Large intestine
houses lymphatic tissue and blood (colon) - Water
vessels Small intestine
absorption

Pancreas – Located by the start of the small intestine; enzyme

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producing structure for digestion; hormone production
Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Dissect the esophagus and the stomach.

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 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Dissect the Esophagus and the Stomach
Esophagus

Prolapse
Pyloric region of
stomach –
smooth, no folds

Cardiac region of
the stomach -
Rugae (folds)
increases surface
area and allows
for expansion Clic
Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Dissect the Small Intestine

Prolapse Spiral valve of the

small intestine –
increased surface
area for nutrient
absorption without
increased length

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 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Heart – Two
chambered (one Gills
ventricle and one
atrium)

The next three cuts (above) will expose the heart and gills.
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 Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Heart Lifted Up
Atrium
Gills: Feather-like
structures (increased
surface area); used to
remove oxygen from
water
Sinusfor respiration
Venosus
Ventricle
Conus
Arteriosus
Gills
Deoxidated blood enters
the sinus venosus from the
body. Blood then enters
the atrium (which has two
lobes), and is then pumped
to the ventricle. The
ventricle pumps the blood
through the conus
arteriosus to the gills
whereGillgas exchange
Rakers: occurs.
Projections
Oxygenated thatblood,
prevent with
reduced(strain/filter)
pressure, particles,
is
like food, from entering
distributed theto the
gills.
body.
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Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Additional Resources Available @ Dissection 101
• Interactive PowerPoints
• Videos
• Lesson Plans
• Handouts
• Quizzes
• Additional Dissections

Next: We did not dissect the central nervous system because many
schools do not complete this due to time constraints. You could have
the students dissect the central nervous system to improve their
dissection skills or for extra credit. Extra care and supervision is
advised (always cut away from yourself). Video Clic
k
Interior of the Dogfish Shark
Produced by Dakota State University
and South Dakota Public Broadcasting

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