Operculum (fish) Operculum (fish) The operculum is a series of bones found in bony fish that serves as a facial support structure and a protective covering for the gills; it is also used for respiration and feeding. The opercular series contains four bone segments known as the preoperculum, suboperculum, interoperculum and operculum. The preoperculum is a crescent-shaped structure that has a series of ridges directed posterodorsally to the organisms canal pores. The preoperculum can be located through an exposed condyle that is present immediately under its ventral margin; it also borders the operculum, suboperculum, and interoperculum posteriorly. The suboperculum is rectangular in
Avicularium shape as the autozooids. Interzooidal avicularia are wedged between autozooids but do not replace an autozooid. Adventitious avicularia are placed somewhere on the external (frontal) wall of an autozooid and are usually much smaller. The 'birds-head' avicularium (e.g. "Bugula") is elevated above the colony by a stalk (peduncle). A zooid where the operculum is modified into a very long, hair-like structure is called a vibraculum. The cylcostome family Eleidae, which convergently evolved an opercular structure during the Early Cretaceous to Paleocene, also possess avicularia-like zooids. Avicularium The avicularium (pl. avicularia) in cheilostome bryozoans is a modified, non-feeding zooid. The operculum,