VI. Discussion:
In preparation for the dissection, a great deal of information was looked up in order to know what the steps to go through with the dissection were. After all the information was gathered, the end result was a compilation including a step by step process to dissect a squid. The animal that was dissected was a squid so everything worked out great without any major problems. The information that was used was very useful and precise in stating the easiest and most effective way of dissecting a squid.

During the process of the dissection there were some minor problems; nevertheless, the lab was completed without much strain. One of these problems was that the squid was very dehydrated and didn’t have a squid’s usual form; it was bent in an unusual way. This was a problem to begin with because when the mantle was being cut, pieces of the pen started to show up. Then after that side of the mantle was completely cut and the pen was removed, it was observed that the side that had been cut was the dorsal instead of the ventral. After this, the ventral side of the squid was cut open and it was then possible to locate the organs that were shown in many f the diagrams of the information found for the dissection.

VII. Conclusion:

This laboratory had quite a few of purposes, of which includes learning the organism’s symmetry and some peculiarities of the organism. In the laboratory it was possible to identify specific parts and understanding the use of these. Properly using the dissection kit and the lab materials it was possible to effectively dissect the cephalopod and identify the majority of its parts.

I had never dissected a cephalopod before; the only organism I had dissected was a crayfish last year. Even though I had dissected another organism before this experience was new because it was a whole new specimen and it was a different procedure. The internal and external anatomies were successfully identified, including their each specific function.

VIII. Reflection:

I really liked this laboratory and I worked hard on it. I am very interested in biology so I was impressed by what I saw right after I opened the mantle cavity. I was intrigued by the anatomy of the squid and so I was very anxious to locate and identify everything in the squid. I got a little frustrated when I cut the wrong side of the mantle but was relieved when I realized that it didn’t really matter. I really liked the activity and would hope if we got around to doing some more dissections apart from the final exam in May.

IX. References:
1. Fox, R (2001). Invertebrate Anatomy OnLine . Retrieved October 5, 2008, from Lolliguncula Web site: http://webs.lander.edu/rsfox/invertebrates/lolliguncula.html
2. Herreid, C (1999, 11, 15). Evolutionary Biology. Retrieved October 5, 2008, from Laboratory Tutorial Web site: http://www.bio200.buffalo.edu/labs/tutor/Squid/
3. Squid Dissection: From Pen to Ink. Retrieved October 5, 2008, Web site: http://www.nhm.org/seamobile/PDF/clasacts/sqd%20i.pdf
4. Squid Dissection. Retrieved October 5, 2008, from Squid Dissection Web site: http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/squid.htm
5. squid. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved October 07, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/561782/squid