Biology:Organ of Bojanus

Short description: Excretory gland in some animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca

The organs of Bojanus or Bojanus organs are excretory glands that serve the function of kidneys in some of the molluscs. In other words, these are metanephridia that are found in some molluscs, for example in the bivalves. Some other molluscs have another type of organ for excretion called Keber's organ.

The Bojanus organ is named after Ludwig Heinrich Bojanus, who first described it. The excretory system of a bivalve consists of a pair of kidneys called the organ of bojanus. These are situated one of each side of the body below the pericardium. Each kidney consist of 2 part (1)- glandular part (2)- a thin walled ciliated urinary bladder.

References

• Encyclopædia Britannica

Further reading

• Hartog, Marcus M. (1879). "Additional note on the organ of Bojanus". Journal of Anatomy and Physiology 13 (4): 578. PMID 17231290. 
• Hopkins, A. E. (1934). "Accessory hearts in the oyster, Ostrea gigas". Biological Bulletin 67 (3): 346–355 (illustrated). doi:10.2307/1537517.