salt gland
An organ for excreting excess salts. It is found in elasmobranchs, seabirds, and some reptiles.[WP]. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_gland ]
Term info
salt gland
organ_slim, functional_classification
uberon
UBERON:0004758
In sharks, salt glands are found in the rectum, but in birds and reptiles, they are found in or on the skull, in the area of the eyes, nostrils or mouth. In crocodiles, the salt is excreted through the tongue. Such glands work by active transport via sodium-potassium pump that moves salt from the blood into the gland, where it can be excreted as a concentrated solution. Salt glands function to keep salt balance, and allow marine vertebrates to drink seawater