Body orifice

A body orifice is any opening in the body of an animal.

External orifices

In a typical mammalian body such as the human body, the external body orifices are:

• The nostrils, for breathing and the associated sense of smell.
• The eyes, for the sense of sight and crying.
• The mouth, for eating, breathing, and vocalizations such as speech.
• The ear canals, for the sense of hearing.
• The anus, for defecation.
• The urethra, for urination and ejaculation
• In females, the vagina, for sexual intercourse, masturbation, menstruation, and childbirth.
• Orifices of nipples
• Orifices of sweat glands
• Navel or belly button left over from placental mammals after birth.

Other animals may have some other body orifices:

• cloaca, in birds, reptiles, amphibians, and some other animals
• siphon in mollusk, arthropods, and some other animals.

Internal orifices

Internal orifices include the orifices of the outflow tracts of the heart, between the heart valves.

See also

• Mucosa
• Mucocutaneous boundary
• Meatus