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The structure of the muscular and nervous systems of the female Intoshia linei (Orthonectida)

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Abstract

The systematic position of the Orthonectida remains enigmatic. According to a classical point of view, they are placed together with Dicyemida in the phylum Mesozoa. Traditionally, orthonectids are regarded as rather primitive organisms, lacking digestive, muscular, and nervous systems. Here, using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and immunohistochemical methods, we describe the musculature and serotoninergic nervous system of female adults of Intoshia linei (Orthonectida). The whole muscular system consists of 4 longitudinal and 9–11 circular muscle cells. The general muscular topography corresponds to the typical pattern for small-sized annelids or flatworms. Immunohistochemistry reveals six serotonin-like cells, which form part of a small nervous system comprising only 10–12 total cells based on nuclear counts. This is the first finding of a serotoninergic nervous system in orthonectids. Our analysis of muscular and neural organization in Orthonectida reveals significant differences from Diciemyda and aligns it more closely with the Lophotrochozoa.

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Acknowledgments

The study was performed at the Core Facility Centers for Microscopy and Microanalysis, Center for molecular and cell technologies, center “CHROMAS” and center “Culture Collection of Microorganisms” of St-Petersburg State University. The main financial support for this study was provided by grant of Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) №13-04-00725. The work was partially supported by the Saint-Petersburg State University research grant 1.50.1619.2013 to Viktor Starunov.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, St-Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034

    George S. Slyusarev & Viktor V. Starunov

  2. Zoological institute RAS, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St-Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034

    Viktor V. Starunov

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  1. George S. Slyusarev
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  2. Viktor V. Starunov
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Correspondence to George S. Slyusarev.

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Slyusarev, G.S., Starunov, V.V. The structure of the muscular and nervous systems of the female Intoshia linei (Orthonectida). Org Divers Evol 16, 65–71 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-015-0246-2

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