When searching BISON for background information on dissections, you should consider words relating to the organism you are interested in so that you can find sources that include anatomical coverage of that particular organism. For instance, many textbooks on invertebrate zoology provide dissection illustrations for the invertebrate species (starfish, crayfish, insects, worms...) Vertebrate zoology textbooks would likely contain information about fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals. More specific information on fish could be found in a book on ichthyology and more specific information on birds in a book on ornithology. Keep this in mind when using BISON . Searching by TITLE and SUBJECT would be more effective than a general KEYWORD search, although you can also try a keyword search

TITLE SEARCH: If you search for the the title "invertebrate zoology" you will retrieve all titles beginning with "invertebrate zoology" and this will generate a short list of highly relevant titles from which you can locate the information you seek.

SUBJECT SEARCH: You can also locate materials in the library by doing a subject search, for example "dissection--laboratory manuals" or "dissection--methods" or "dissection--methods--laboratory manuals" or " fishes--anatomy" or "invertebrates--anatomy" and so on.

For the first example, "dissection--laboratory manuals" your subject search was done on the word dissection which then retrieves a subset of headings relating to the subject dissection. You then choose the subset "laboratory manuals" and this will finally retrieve a list of any dissection laboratory manuals.

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• Anatomical Directional Terms explains which ends are up and which ones are down
• Biology Dissection Kits and Hobby Toolkits online ordering of dissection kits
• Carolina Online Catalog register and order online, the full-spectrum of laboratory supplies for dissections including specimens, tools, and instruments
• Museum of Vertebrate Zoology by the University of California, Berkeley.

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Here are links to online dissection samples for a number of organisms representing the different phyla of the kingdom animalia. A number of links for each organism may be present providing you with variations on the type of information available on the internet. Some will demonstrate how to perform the dissection, others will provide you with labeled structures or numbered structures. In this way you may use the sources to quiz yourself on the comprehension of the anatomical structures of the organism.

A number of the classes in this kingdom are included and each with as few as one to several links to online dissections which include images, labeled photographs, some models, tutorials, and text descriptions on the procedure of dissection. If you would like further information on Taxonomy, a resourceful place to visit which has comprehensive links to internet resources is the Taxonomy on the Web page from Montgomery College Library.

Click on the Phylum links below to take you to resources for organisms belonging to that phylum. The Class for each organism is also listed along with numbered links for different websites relating to that organism.

Annelida	earthworm
Arthropoda	crayfish , grasshopper , deer tick
Aschelminthes	roundworm
Chordata	lamprey , fish, frog , reptiles , bird , pigeon , pig , rat , cat , cow's eye , sheep brain , human
Echinodermata	starfish
Mollusca	clam , squid
Porifera	sponge

Phylum - ANNELIDA

Class - Oligochaeta
Earthworm

• Earthworm
  Model of the earthworm with 2 image views, includes labeling.
• Earthworm Dissection
  Detailed description of the anatomy of the earthworm, includes directions for dissection and a labeled illustration of the structures of an earthworm.
• Earthworm Review
  Photographs showing external and internal views of an earthworm dissection. Internal and external structures are numbered and can serve as a pretest.
• PHYLUM ANNELIDA
  A laboratory examination of structures and anatomical function.
• Lumbricus terrestris Dissection
  Textual instruction for dissecting the earthworm.
• Micscape Article: Earthworm Dissection
  Full-text paper on the procedures for preparing a specimen and dissecting it as a laboratory exercise.
• Evolutionary Biology
  Dissection of the earthworm; includes taxonomy and thumbnail images which when clicked on show an enlarged image of the dissection with labels from the University at Buffalo website.

Phylum - ARTHROPODA

Class - Crustacea
Crayfish

• PHYLUM ARTHROPODA
  Laboratory examination of the crayfish is explained in text format.
• Crayfish Dissection
  General descriptive page for dissection of a crayfish.
• Crayfish Review
  Images of the dorsal and ventral view of the crayfish with detailed ventral view of the male and female crayfish.
• Crayfish
  UB Evolutionary Biology page with labeled images of a dissected crayfish, with taxonomy included.
• Crayfish Dissection
  Photographic guide to crayfish dissection.

Class - Insecta
Grasshopper

• Grasshopper
  Labeled model of a grasshopper, includes internal anatomy.
• Female Grasshopper
  Model of the female grasshopper with labeled structures of the anterior, middle, posterior, hind legs close up, and mouthparts inset.
• Grasshopper
  Laboratory examination of the external and internal anatomy of the grasshopper.
• Grasshopper
  UB Evolutionary Biology page with labeled images of a dissected grasshopper, with taxonomy included.

Class - Arachnida
Deer Tick

• Deer Tick
  Dissection of a deer tick (Ixodes scapularis).

Phylum - ASCHELMINTHES

Class - Nematoda
Roundworm

• Ascaris Images
  Photographic guide to Ascari's Dissection.
• MOLLUSCA I (Gastropoda, Bivalvia)
  University of Alberta Zoology course page with several images of ascaris including dissection images and cross section images. Answer key for the labeled structures is kept on another page; a link is provided for access.

Phylum - CHORDATA

Class - Agnatha
Lamprey

• Sea Lamprey
  Text with general information on lampreys.
• Laprey
  Images of a lamprey dissection, demonstrates the anterior and posterior regions.

Class - Osteichthyes
Bony Fish

• Perch
  External and internal features of the perch are shown here with structures labeled.
• Perch
  Photographic guide to Perch dissection.
• Perch
  Several images of a dissected perch; click on an image for a larger version with labels.
• Perch
  Saggital dissection mount of the perch. There are labeled structures and an anterior and posterior detailed view of the dissection.

Class - Amphibian
Frog

• Virtual Frog Dissection Kit
  Virtual Frog Dissection Kit-Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Version 2.0 is a 3-D dissection of the frog with ability to perform various dissections to animate the dissection process. Features allow for zooming in and out to get closer or farther views. Available in eight languages.
• Frog Dissection Photographic guide to frog dissection.
• Comparative Anatomy - Rat and Frog
  Text description and cross sectional image of the frog
• Frog Dissection Lab
  Text description including images of a frog dissection.
• Net Frog
  An excellent online dissection with audio/video features, step by step, includes a glossary of terms. The dissection is interactive (you can virtually perform the frog dissection by utilizing your computer's mouse).
• Froguts.com
  This is also interactive allowing you to participate in the dissection. Instructions are given for the steps to follow.

Class - Reptilia
Reptiles

• Snake
  Snake dissection.
• Snake
  Snake anatomy.
• Turtles & Crocs
  Turtle and Crocodile dissection.
• Turtles
  Photographic guide to Turtle dissection.

Class - Aves
Bird

• Bird
  Illustration of the skeleton of a bird, bones are labeled, some text included.
• Bird
  Image of a bird skeleton, areas are labeled.
• Bird
  This site provides a textual description on the procedure for dissecting birds.

Pigeon

• Pigeon
  Chest cavity dissection photograph showing the heart and air sacs.
• Pigeon
  This page shows the dissected pigeon, images of the external, internal structures and the foot and feather are included. Structures are labeled and taxonomy is provided.
• Pigeon
  Photographic guide to Pigeon dissection.
• Pigeon
  Images of a dissected pigeon are provided, click on the image for a larger view with structures labeled.

Class - Mammalia
Pig

• Pig
  Virtual dissection of the fetal pig. This requires installation of a free ShockWave software package. Includes essay on the use of virtual dissections in class room settings.
• Pig
  Text-only site provides a description of the dissection of a pig heart
• Pig
  Fetal Pig dissection, slide show.

Rat

• Rat
  Photograph images of the muscular and digestive system of a dissected rat. Images of histology slides are also included for each section.

Cat

• Cat
  Virtual dissection of the cat, image links are divided by system (e.g., Respiratory, Gastrointestinal, Skeletal).
• Cat
  Anatomically correct online virtual cat.
• Cat
  Photograph of the skeleton of the cat. Parts are not labeled.
• Cat
  Skeleton of the cat. Includes labeling of regions of the skeleton.
• Cat
  Cat tutorial from the Kenyon College website. Focus is on the anatomy of the cat with images of bone and muscles and internal anatomy. Text accompanies images.

Cow's Eye

• Cow's Eye
  Exploratorium's step-by-step cow's eye dissection. There is an audio/visual version and a PDF version of the dissection. Images and a glossary also included.

Sheep Brain

• Sheep Brain
  University of Scranton's Neuroscience department site with photograph images of a dissected sheep's brain. Images of many different views including cross-sectional saggital etc., are provided with parts nicely labeled. Click on the labeled part, then choose which plane to view the dissected brain in at that point of the dissection. Nicely done tutorial for learning neuroanatomy.
• Sheep Brain
  Another sheep brain dissection. Text included with photographs describing steps and structures.

Human

• Lumen
  Loyola University Medical Center Lumen web page with a variety of tutorial like lessons. A section on cross-sectional anatomy is provided. You can visualize the gross anatomy cross sectioned image at the level you click on and then visualize what an MRI and CT would look like at that level. Also, included are a number of other tutorials/study aids such as Radiography etc. Requires free registration.
• Visible Human
  Guided tour of the Visible Human. You have the option to visualize the anatomy in a variety of planes.

Phylum - ECHINODERMATA

Class - Asteroidea
Starfish

• Starfish
  Page i ncludes a model of a starfish with labeled structures
• Starfish
  This website teaches students how to dissect a starfish and learn its anatomy. It shows the internal and external organs of a starfish and engages students to interact with this program. Also provided are visual aids: digitized images of the preserved starfish and digitally processed videos of the actual dissection at various intervals. "This tutorial is a step by step guide through the dissection of the starfish."
• Starfish
  Photographs of Starfish dissection.
• Starfish
  Starfish dissection of aboral and oral surfaces. In addition, a labeled model of the starfish is included.
• Starfish
  Images of a dissected starfish are provided here. External and internal features are shown with labeling.

Phylum - MOLLUSCA

Class - Pelecypoda
Clam

• Clam
  Model of the clam with labeled images of the anterior and posterior region.
• Clam
  Fresh water mussel (clam) dissection. Includes image of the outer and inner shell, in addition to a labeled model of the clam.
• Clam
  Photograph images of a clam dissection. External and internal anatomy is shown with structures labeled.
• Clam
  Several dissection views of the clam. Structures are labeled.

Class - Cephalopoda
Squid

• Squid
  Photograph images of the external and internal morphology of the squid. Structures are labeled by number. A great way to quiz yourself on the labeled structures.
• Squid
  Image of a preserved male squid dissection. Structures are labeled.
• Squid
  Several images of a dissected squid with labeled structures. Taxonomy included.

Phylum - PORIFERA

Sponge

• Sponge
  Model of the sponge with text describing labeled structures and their functions

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A number of alternative methods to learning dissection of animals is available on the internet. There are virtual dissections utilizing 3d constructed images. There are also models of organisms available. Several interactive tutorials utilizing a 3d composed image of an organism are available. All these resources can be utilized as alternatives or supplements to your information needs on this subject area.

• Humane Society of the U.S.
• National Anti-Vivisection Society
• Animal Dissection and Student Choice: a Legal, Religious, Moral, Educational, Environmental and Feminist Issue
• Use of Animals in Biology Education statement by the National Association of Biology Teachers
• National Association for Biomedical Research describes various laboratory animal issues
• Research Defense Society - sites and resources for understanding the role of animal research in medicine
• Foundation for Biomedical Research - use of animals in research.

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