Fine structure and functional morphology of the mouthparts of a maleVeigaia sp. (Gamasida: Veigaiidae) with remarks on the spermatodactyl and related sensory structures

2006 ◽  
Vol 267 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella Di Palma ◽  
Gerd Alberti ◽  
Giorgio Nuzzaci ◽  
Gerald W. Krantz
1974 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. B. Burt ◽  
I. M. Sandeman

Light and electron microscopy were used to describe the functional morphology of Bothrimonus sturionis in detail. In particular, the musculature, nervous system, osmoregulatory system, and tegument are dealt with, and the findings compared with those of other workers. The musculature of the scolex consists of several interrelated systems, the structure of each being discussed in relation to its function. Associated with the regular nervous system, considered typical of cestodes, is an extensive system of giant nerve fibers. The osmoregulatory system is unusual in that there are lateral "excretory" pores in many proglottides which open directly to the exterior of the worm. The microtriches of the tegument are long, like those of other primitive cestodes, and are covered by a noncellular sheath while the worm is in its gammarid host. The sheath is lost when the worm becomes established in its fish host; the nature and function of the sheath are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 191159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Gross ◽  
Georg Mayer

Tardigrades (water bears) are microscopic, segmented ecdysozoans with four pairs of legs. Lobopodous limbs that are similar to those seen in tardigrades are hypothesized to represent the ancestral state of Panarthropoda (Tardigrada + Onychophora + Arthropoda), and their evolutionary history is important to our understanding of ecdysozoan evolution. Equally important is our understanding of the functional morphology of these legs, which requires knowledge of their musculature. Tardigrade musculature is well documented but open questions remain. For example, while the muscular organization of each trunk segment and its legs is unique, three of the four trunk segments are nevertheless relatively homonomous. To what extent, then, do leg muscles show segmental patterns? Specifically, which leg muscles are serially repeated and which are unique? The present study addresses these questions using a combination of techniques intended to visualize both the overall layout and fine structure of leg muscles in the eutardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris . In doing so, we propose serial homologies for all leg muscles in each of the four legs and reveal new details of their cellular structure and attachment sites. We compare our results to those of previous studies and address the functional implications of specialized muscle cell morphologies.


2008 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella Di Palma ◽  
Beverly S. Gerdeman ◽  
Gerd Alberti

Author(s):  
P. Heffernan

It has been suggested by Pettibone (1953) and Lwebuga-Musaka (1970) that the elytra of scaleworms may function in respiration, not as the sites of gaseous exchange, but rather the means by which respiratory water currents were created over the dorsum. A role in sensory perception was also postulated (Pettibone, 1953). However, no detailed morphological study accompanied this work. To date the scales of only a few polychaete species have been examined ultrastructurally, and these studies have focused mostly on cuticular features (Anton-Erxleben, 1977, 1981a, b). Considerable attention has been focused on the bioluminescent properties of the elytra of the scaleworm, Harmothoe lunulata (Delle Chiaje) (see Bassot, 1979; Nicholas et al. 1981, 1982). Other morphological features of Pholoe minuta studied at the ultrastructural level include gametogenic (Heffernan & Keegan, 1988a) and larval (Heffernan & Keegan, 1988b) stages as well as the digestive tract (Heffernan, 1988). There are several reports on the ultrastructure of polychaete gills (Storch & Welsch, 1972; Spies, 1973; Storch & Alberti, 1978; Menendez et al., 1984; Storch & Gaill, 1986). These works have recently been reviewed by Gardiner (1988). This study describes the fine structure of the scales of Pholoe minuta and the features illustrated here are in agreement with a role in respiration and sensory perception.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1466-1480 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Croll ◽  
K. A. Wright

There is growing evidence of the autonomy of the movements of certain organ systems in nematodes. The copulatory bursa of male strongylines is believed to aid in mating, although there arc very few reports of this. Furthermore, it has been suggested that movements of the bursa are stimulated by a pheromone secreted by the female. Bursal movements were investigated with respect to these themes and the fine structure of the bursa of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis was examined. When the bursa was ligatured and isolated from the body, bursal movements of N. brasiliensis and Nematospiroides dubius were greatly increased for extended periods. The movements showed rhythmic pacemaker activity and they simulated the movements observed in the normal mating of N. dubius. The bursa of N. brasiliensis was found to have muscular and sensory elements, a nerve was shown to be present in both spicules, and sensory elements were located in the genital cone. The increase in movements is believed to result from the removal of an inhibitor associated with the circumpharyngeal commissure. These results are discussed in terms of other observations on control mechanisms in nematodes and their functional morphology.


Author(s):  
Alfred Dietz ◽  
Leroy M. Anderson ◽  
Malcolm T. Sanford

The antennal sensory organs of honey bees have been studied by many researchers in the past. In most instances their work was confined to readily identifiable cuticular sensory structures such as the pore plate organ (Figs. 1, 3) and several types of hair-like sensilla (Fig. 1). The total number of receptors on a honey bee antennae is roughly 13,000 of which about 8,200 belong to the hair-like receptors or s. trichodea group (Fig. 1). The pore plate organs or s. placodea comprise the next largest group with 3,000 receptors. The pit peg sense organs or s. ampullacea (Figs. 3, 5), and s. coeloconica (Figs. 1, 2) are present in considerably smaller number (approximately 300) and have received little attention since they cannot be readily identified on the basis of their surface structure. Thus, little is known about the fine structure of these pit peg organs. In this study, pit peg organs of plastic embedded antennae were examined by scanning electron microscopy.


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