Editing Gizzard (section)

{{Short description|Digestive organ of some animals}}
{{For|the open source sharding framework|Gizzard (Scala framework)}}
[[File:Gizzard of Chicken.JPG|thumb|250x250px|Gizzard of a chicken]]

The '''gizzard''', also referred to as the '''ventriculus''', '''gastric mill''', and '''gigerium''', is an [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]] found in the [[digestive tract]] of some animals, including [[archosaurs]] ([[bird]]s and other [[dinosaurs]], [[crocodile]]s, [[alligator]]s, [[pterosaur]]s), [[earthworm]]s, some [[gastropod]]s, some [[fish]], and some [[crustacean]]s. This specialized [[stomach]] constructed of thick muscular walls is used for grinding up food, often aided by particles of stone or grit. In certain [[insects]] and [[molluscs]], the gizzard features [[chitin]]ous plates or teeth.