Osculum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
- For the kiss called osculum, see Kiss
The osculum is an excretory structure in the living sponge, a large opening to the outside through which the current of water exits after passing through the spongocoel. Water exits through the osculum at a velocity of nearly 8.5 cm/second, carrying away with it the sponge's wastes. The size of the osculum is regulated by the myocyte. Its size, in turn, determines the amount of water flowing through the sponge.