Anatomy

Cloaca

A dilated cavity extended caudally from the hindgut. In adult birds, reptiles, amphibians, and many fishes but few mammals, cloaca is a common chamber into which the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts discharge their contents. In most mammals, cloaca gives rise to LARGE INTESTINE; URINARY BLADDER; and GENITALIA.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A dilated cavity extended caudally from the hindgut. In adult birds, reptiles, amphibians, and many fishes but few mammals, cloaca is a common chamber into which the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts discharge their contents. In most mammals, cloaca gives rise to LARGE INTESTINE; URINARY BLADDER; and GENITALIA.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

1 entry terms
  • Cloacas

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

24 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings abnormalities, anatomy & histology, blood supply, chemistry, cytology, diagnostic imaging, drug effects, embryology, enzymology, growth & development, immunology, injuries, innervation, metabolism, microbiology, parasitology, pathology, physiology, physiopathology, radiation effects, surgery, transplantation, ultrastructure, virology.

MeSH Record

History Note

68

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Rectum (1966-1967)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. A13.223w
  2. A16.178w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Cloaca. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D002988. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D002988
  2. Cloaca. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloaca
  3. Cloaca. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19035