The pancreas is diffuse, but several wisps of this tissue can 

 be observed along the course of the bile duct and back from 

 there to the anterior right piece of the spleen. This part of 

 the spleen is embedded in pancreatic tissue which continues 

 back as a series of strands dorsal to the spiral intestine and 



along the two limbs of the anterior intestinal loop. There 

 are no separate masses of islet tissue. In Polyodon the two parts 

 of the spleen are embedded in pancreatic tissue lying dor- 

 solateral to the spiral intestine. The spleen is many parted 

 in Acipenser, two parted in Polyodon. 



gall bladder 



loop of stomach 



pancreas 



pyloric caeca 



Figure 9-15. Viscera of the sturgeon. A, ventral view of viscera witfi ventral wall of gut removed 

 to show interior; B, form and relationships of stomach loop as seen ventrally; C, section through the 

 pyloric caeca and gizzard. 



THE DIGESTIVE TRACT AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES • 269 



