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Comparative study of bisected proboscides of Pycnogonida

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Abstract

To comparatively describe “inner” pharynx armatures in pycnogonids, we bisected proboscides of Achelia langi (Dohrn, 1881), Anoplodactylus californicus Hall, 1912, Ascorhynchus castellioides Stock, 1957, Austrodecus glaciale Hodgson, 1907, Callipallene margarita (Gordon, 1932), Colossendeis macerrima Wilson, 1881, Endeis spinosa (Montagu, 1808), Nymphon macronyx Sars, 1877, Pallenopsis patagonica (Hoek, 1881), Pantopipetta sp., Pigrogromitus timsanus Calman, 1927, and Pycnogonum litorale (Strøm, 1762) and analyzed them with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Moreover, proboscides were stained with actin green to visualize the muscle arrangement with fluorescence and confocal microscopes (A. langi) and were analyzed with microcomputed X-ray tomography (μCT; Ascorhynchus japonicus). As a result of our observations, sets of characters that vary between taxa are established. These traits include length and width of proboscis, shape and structure of the inner mouth opening, borders and armature of the antimeres, shape and position of denticle arrays and rows, relative length of pharyngeal filter apparatus, and arrangement and structure of the filter bristles. Analyses of these characters indicate a substantial variability on the pantopod’s proboscis inner surface probably as an adaptation to different food sources. Finally, we suggest that the presence of the oyster basket represents a ground pattern character of Pycnogonida.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partly supported by German Research Foundation grant Me 2683/8 and Le 2323/3 within Priority Programme 1158 (“Antarctic Research“) and by grant of Sea Life Center Munich to R. Melzer. Special thanks go to “Martl” Heß for piloting the confocal microscope.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biocenter, Department Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Straße 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany

    Philipp Wagner, Michaela Hofmann, Jeremy Hübner & Roland R. Melzer

  2. Zoologische Staatssammlung, Münchhausenstraße 21, 81247, Munich, Germany

    Philipp Wagner, Michaela Hofmann, Jeremy Hübner & Roland R. Melzer

  3. Fakultät für Biologie, Aquatische Ökosystemforschung, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45151, Essen, Germany

    Jana S. Dömel & Florian Leese

  4. Geobio Center LMU, Richard-Wagner-Straße 10, 80333, Munich, Germany

    Roland R. Melzer

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  1. Philipp Wagner
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  2. Jana S. Dömel
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Correspondence to Roland R. Melzer.

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Wagner, P., Dömel, J.S., Hofmann, M. et al. Comparative study of bisected proboscides of Pycnogonida. Org Divers Evol 17, 121–135 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-016-0310-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-016-0310-6

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