MARINE ANIMALS THAT STING 45 



vary glands, the salivary ducts, the buccal mass, and the mandibles, 

 or beak (Fig. 19). The mouth of the octopus is situated in the 

 center of the oral and anterior surface of the arms, surrounded by 

 a circular lip, fringed with finger-like papillae (Fig. 20). The 

 mouth leads into a pharyngeal cavity having thick muscular walls. 

 This entire muscular complex is known as the buccal mass, which 

 is surrounded and concealed by the muscular bases of the arms. 

 The buccal mass is furnished with two powerful dorsal and ventral 

 chitinous jaws, whose shape resembles that of a parrot's beak. The 

 arrangement of the jaws differs from the parrot in that the ventral 

 one bites outside the dorsal, and is wider and larger. These jaws 

 are able to bite vertically with great force, tearing the captured 

 food which is held by the suckers before it is passed on to the rasp- 

 ing action of the radula. The duct from the posterior salivary 



ESOPHAGUS 



MOUTH 



JAWS 



SALIVARY 



BUCCAL MASS 



CIRCULAR MUSCLE 



Fig. 20. Buccal mass of an octopus showing the mouth and jaws. (Kreuzinger) 



glands opens on the tip of the sub-radular organ, which appears 

 as an outgrowth in front of the tongue. The paired ducts from the 

 anterior salivary glands open into the pharynx laterally and 

 posteriorly. The venom is discharged from these ducts into 

 the pharynx. 



Medical Aspects. Octopus bites usually consist of two small punc- 

 ture wounds which are produced by the sharp parrot-like chit- 

 inous jaws. A burning or tingling sensation is the usual initial 

 symptom. At first, the discomfort is localized, but may later radiate 

 to include the entire appendage. Bleeding is frequently profuse for 

 the size of the bite, which may indicate that the clotting process of 

 the blood is retarded. Swelling, redness, and heat commonly develop 

 in the area about the wound. Recovery is generally uneventful. 



