Term Name: | anus |
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Synonyms: | anal opening, anal orifice, opening of terminal part of digestive tract, proctodeum |
Definition: | Orifice at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to expel feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest, such as bones; food material after all the nutrients have been extracted, for example cellulose or lignin; ingested matter which would be toxic if it remained in the digestive tract; and dead or excess gut bacteria and other endosymbionts. |
Ontology: | Uberon Ontology [UBERON:0001245] |