Article révisé par les pairs
| Résumé : | The kidney of some Littorinoidea and Archaeotaenioglossa was studied by histochemical and electron microscopic techniques. Viviparus was assumed to be the most primitive because no clear differentiation occurs between vacuolated excretory cells and ciliated cells. Differentiation is effective in the other species. The ciliated cells were abundant in marine species only; they could move urine and phagocyte. The excretory cells often become monovacuolated in terrestrial (Pomatias) and amphibious (Pila) species. The kidney of all these animals except the Pomatiadisae contains puric compounds. In these animals, those substances are stored in the concretions gland. In contrast to Pila's ureter, Viviparus ureter possesses no suitable equipment for osmoregulation, and thus the kidney compacity could partially compensate for this handicap. In the kidney of Pomatiasidae, osmoregulation seems to be reduced; this function may be carried out by the tubulous pedal gland. |
