stone canal
anatomy
Quick Summary
A stone canal is a tube found in many echinoderms, such as sea stars and sea urchins. It contains calcareous deposits and connects the madreporite (a porous plate) to the ring of the water-vascular system that surrounds the mouth. This water-vascular system is a unique hydraulic network crucial for echinoderms, functioning in locomotion, respiration, and feeding. The stone canal plays a vital role in this system by channeling water from the madreporite into the ring canal, which then distributes it to the tube feet.123
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