corn saliva gland???

[chamitch]

when my corn was eatign i noticed a little node in the middle of his buttom jaw. when he was eatign it opened up every once in awhile.. just onderign what it is. im guesign its just a salvia gland or soem other type mucas gland.


anyone have a anatomy site or coudl just tell me?


thanks

[ChokeOnSmoke]

I think it is for breathing while they are swallowing. What it is called has escaped my mind at the moment though, sorry.

[chamitch]

hmm i dunno. that came to mind btu then why do they have nostrils? and that doesnt make sense to have a way to breath when eating in your mouth.

[ChokeOnSmoke]

It came back to me.
It is called the glottis(its the opening to the trachea(sp?)). I guess while swallowing the nostrils can get squished shut (a guess). I'm pretty sure snakes use the glottis to hiss as well.

[HeatherK]

When swallowing prey, they push it out to breathe. I haven't actually seen it on my corn.

[chamitch]

hmm very interesting

[Andy_G]

ChokeOnSmoke is 100% correct! :) The nasal passage and throat is blocked when engulfing a prey item, and since the trachea is constructed of a tube with hard rings of cartilage around it, it is always open, so they usually breathe via their glottis while eating/swallowing prey. :)

Heather is also correct when she says that they push it out to breathe when eating, at most times it is collapsed, you could say it's somewhat retractable, and yes they also use it to hiss.

[chamitch]

they really need to put that more in common liturature. kinda cool.

found out abotu veilds making vibration to warn others by havign one. never read that once in any liturature either.

later and thanks