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Neuromuscular organization of the freshwater colonial rotifer, Sinantherina socialis, and its implications for understanding the evolution of coloniality in Rotifera

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Abstract

Coloniality among rotifers is rare, and while the adaptive significance of the lifestyle has been explored previously, there are few details about how it may have influenced the morphology of colony members. In this study, we use confocal laser scanning microscopy combined with cyto- and immunohistochemistry to determine if the colonial rotifer, Sinantherina socialis, differs in neuromuscular organization relative to other colonial and solitary forms. Our observations indicate that the patterns of serotonergic neurons and somatic muscles in S. socialis are broadly similar to other rotifers. At the neuronal level, the distribution of serotonergic (5HT-IR) neurons in S. socialis is most similar to colony-forming species of Conochilus: (1) paired nerve cords extend the length of the body; (2) the cerebral ganglion innervates the corona with paired neurites that form a neuronal ring; and (3) a single pair of neurites innervates the ventral sensory antennae. Unique to S. socialis is the presence of two additional neuronal rings that supply the corona and may function to modulate ciliary beat. At the muscular level, S. socialis displays a typical pattern of somatic muscle organization similar to other rotifers, but diverges from the pattern in three significant ways: (1) somatic circular muscles form complete rings; (2) circular muscles are distinguishable based on their size and position in the body; and (3) transverse muscles are present within the corona and presumably function to modify its shape for feeding and defensive purposes. These differences in neuromuscular organization may be adaptations to the colonial and/or sessile lifestyle, both of which are characteristic of S. socialis.

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Acknowledgments

We thank two anonymous reviewers for improving the quality of this manuscript. We also thank Julie Piraino of the Smithsonian Marine Station in Fort Pierce, FL and Earl Ada of the Materials Characterization Lab at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) for their assistance with SEM. This research was supported by a UML Faculty-Student Collaborative Research grant. This is Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce Contribution # 825.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA

    Rick Hochberg

  2. Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Graham Lilley

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  1. Rick Hochberg
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  2. Graham Lilley
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Correspondence to Rick Hochberg.

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Communicated by T. Bartolomaeus.

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Hochberg, R., Lilley, G. Neuromuscular organization of the freshwater colonial rotifer, Sinantherina socialis, and its implications for understanding the evolution of coloniality in Rotifera. Zoomorphology 129, 153–162 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-010-0108-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-010-0108-6

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