An Illustrated and Cross-Referenced Glossary of
Malacological and Conchological Terms

by Paul S. Mikkelsen

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Term Definition

BRANCH
(pl. BRANCHIAE)
  The gills; see: GILL for list of the various type of taxonomic groupings.
   

BRANCHIAL PLUME   [need definition]. In nudibranchs… See illustration: Composite Nudibranch.
   

BRANCHITELLUM
(pl. BRANCHITELLA)
  Point on posteroventral margin of OYSTERS nearest to palliobranchial fusion, commonly forming conspicuously projected posteroventral tip on left valve, especially in sickle-shaped oysters; ABORAL end of GILLS points towards it.
   

DEMIBRANCH   One of the paired lamellibranch gills. The longitudinal half of a feather-shaped gill; see also: DIBRANCH; TETRABRANCH.
   

DIBRANCH   Possessing two gills (CTENIDIA); the name applied to all living cephalopods, except Nautilus, which is a TETRABRANCH; see also: EULAMELLIBRANCH; FILIBRANCH; LAMELLIBRANCH; PROTOBRANCH; PSEUDOLAMELLIBRANCH; SEPTIBRANCH; TECTIBRANCH.
   

EULAMELLIBRANCH   A type of bivalve CTENIDIUM or gill in which [need definition]; see also: DIBRANCH; EULAMELLIBRANCH; FILIBRANCH; LAMELLIBRANCH; PROTOBRANCH; PSEUDOLAMELLIBRANCH; SEPTIBRANCH; TECTIBRANCH; TETRABRANCH.
   

EXTRA-BRANCHIAL APPENDAGE   [need definition]. In NUDIBRANCHS… See illustration: Composite Nudibranch.
   

FILIBRANCH   A type of bivalve CTENIDIUM or gill in which [need definition]. The Mytilacea, Pteriacea, Pectinacea, and Anomiacea have filibranch CTENIDIA. See also: DIBRANCH; EULAMELLIBRANCH; LAMELLIBRANCH; PROTOBRANCH; PSEUDOLAMELLIBRANCH; SEPTIBRANCH; TECTIBRANCH; TETRABRANCH.
   

HYPOBRANCHIAL   Situated below the gills.
   

HYPOBRANCHIAL GLAND   Large mucous gland beside the rectum ("hypobranchial" is a misnomer) and which consolidates particles before the leave the pallial cavity.
   

LAMELLIBRANCH   Older name for any BIVALVE having platelike gills.
   

NUDIBRANCH   [need definition]. See also: ASCOGLOSSAN; SEA SLUG.
   

OPISTHOBRANCH   Marine Mollusks which are characterised by having a single gill behind and to the right of the heart; they also have a reduced or absent shell and always lack an OPERCULUM. Included in this group are the BUBBLE SHELLS, the NUDIBRANCHS, SEA HARES and SEA BUTTERFLIES.
   

PROTOBRANCH   [need definition].
   

SEPTIBRANCH   [need definition].
   

TECTIBRANCH   Molluscs of the order Cephalaspidea, or "BUBBLE SHELLS" usually having a shell present, gills present, head with a tentacular shield, jaws feeble or none, stomach usually with GIZZARD PLATES, and with or without an OPERCULUM.
   

TETRABRANCH   Possessing four GILLS; that name applied to Nautilus (all other living cephalopods being DIBRANCHS); see also: BRANCH; DEMIBRANCH.
   


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