Biology · Excretory Products and Their Elimination · NEET
Yes. Green glands and antennal glands are two names for the SAME organ. The NCERT line says: "Antennal glands or green glands perform the excretory function in crustaceans like prawns." They are called antennal glands because they lie at the base of the antennae, and green glands because they look greenish in colour. For NEET, treat the two names as fully interchangeable.
Green glands (antennal glands) are found in CRUSTACEANS. NCERT gives the example of prawns. Other crustaceans like crab, crayfish, and lobster also have them. Do not link green glands to insects (they use Malpighian tubules) or earthworms (they use nephridia). Crustacean = green gland is the safe pairing.
No, and this is a common mix-up because both are arthropods. The PRAWN (a crustacean) uses green glands / antennal glands. The COCKROACH (an insect) uses Malpighian tubules. NEET loves to swap these in match-the-column questions, so memorise: prawn/crab = green glands, cockroach/insect = Malpighian tubules.
Both remove nitrogenous waste, but they belong to different animal groups. Green glands (antennal glands) are found in crustaceans (prawn, crab) and lie near the antennae. Malpighian tubules are found in insects (cockroach) and are attached to the gut between the midgut and hindgut. Green glands filter body fluid; Malpighian tubules pick up waste from the haemolymph and empty it into the gut.
They are named green glands simply because of their greenish colour in the living animal. The other name, antennal glands, comes from their position at the base of the antennae. There is no complex reason to remember — the colour gives one name and the location gives the other.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Green glands (antennal glands) are the paired excretory organs of crustaceans. They remove nitrogenous waste and help maintain the ionic and water balance (osmoregulation) of the body.
Antennal glands (green glands) are found in crustaceans. NCERT specifically names the prawn; crab, crayfish, and lobster also have them.
They are located in the head region, at the base of the antennae — which is why they are also called antennal glands.
Yes. Class 11 Biology, Chapter 'Excretory Products and their Elimination', lists green glands (antennal glands) as one of the common excretory organs in animals, alongside protonephridia, nephridia, Malpighian tubules, and kidneys.
They perform two jobs: excretion of nitrogenous waste and osmoregulation (maintaining the correct salt and water balance of body fluids).
