Summary
Ciliary gliding is a type of locomotion in which an animal moves on a secreted layer of mucus, propelled by the beating of cilia. It is characteristic of small, soft-bodied invertebrates and has received little attention. However, the interactions between cilia and mucous secretions involved in ciliary gliding are similar to, if not the same as, those in other muco-ciliary systems such as the mammalian lung or the ctenidia of bivalves. In this paper, the ultrastructure of the ciliated and mucous secreting cells on the locomotor sole of two archiannelids (Protodrilus sp. andNerilla antennata) and two turbellarians (Polychoerus carmelensis andMonocelis cincta) is described and discussed in terms of a proposed mechanism of ciliary gliding.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barrington, E.J.W.: Invertebrate structure and function. Boston: Houghton Mifflin 1967
Bekelmishev, W.N.: Principles of comparative anatomy of invertebrates, Vol. II. Organology (transl. by J.M. McLennan). Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press 1951
Breeze, R.G., Wheeldon, E.B.: The cells of the pulmonary airways. Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.116, 705–777 (1977)
Carson, S., Goldhamer, R., Carpenter, R.: Mucus transport in the respiratory tract. Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.93, 86–92 (1966)
Clark, R.B.: Dynamics in metazoan evolution. Oxford: Claredon Press 1964
Costello, H.M., Costello, D.P.: A new species ofPolychoerus from the Pacific Coast. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. II,1, 148–155 (1938)
Crezee, M., Tyler, S.:Hesiolicium, n.g. (Turbellaria, Acoela), and observations on its ultrastructure. Zool. Scr.,5, 207–216 (1976)
Dales, R.P.: Feeding and digestion in terebellid polychaetes. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K.,34, 55–79
Davis, S.S., Scobie, S., Inglis, A.: The effect of sulfhydral compounds and cross-linking agents on the viscosity and visco-elasticity properties of mucus. Biorheology12, 225–232 (1975)
Deman, J., Mareel, M., Bruyneel, E.: Effects of calcium and bound sialic acid on the viscosity of mucin. Biochim. Biophys. Acta297, 486–490 (1973)
Dirksen, E.R., Satir, P.: Ciliary activity in the mouse oviduct as studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Tissue and Cell4, 405–426 (1972)
Hulings, N.C., Gray, J.S.: A manual for the study of meiofauna. Smithson. Contrib. Zool. #78 (1971)
Hunt, S., Oates, K.: Intracellular cationic counterion composition of an acid mucopolysaccharide. Nature (Lond.)268, 370 (1977)
Jaccarini, V., Schembri, P.J.: Locomotory and other movements of the proboscis ofBonellia viridis (Echiura, Bonelliidae). J. Zool. (Lond.)182, 467–476 (1977)
Jagersten, G.: Evolution of the metazoan life cycle. New York: Academic Press 1972
Jones, H.D.: Locomotion. In: Pulmonates (V. Fretter, J. Peake, eds.) New York: Academic Press 1975
Jørgensen, C.B.: Biology of suspension feeding. Oxford: Pergamon Press 1966
Karling, T.G.: Marine Turbellaria from the Pacific Coast of North America. IV. Coelogynoporidae and Monocelididae. Ark. Zool.18, 493–528 (1966)
King, M., Gilboa, A., Meyer, F.A., Silberberg, A.: On the transport of mucus and its rheologic stimulants in ciliated systems. Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.110, 740–745 (1974)
Lucus, A., Douglas, L.C.: Principles underlying ciliary activity in the respiratory tract. Arch. Otolaryngol.20, 518–541 (1934)
Martin, G.G.: A new function of Rhabdites: Mucus production for ciliary gliding. Zoomorphologie91, 235–248 (1978)
Meyer, F.A.: Mucus structure: relation to biological transport function. Biorheology13, 49–58 (1976)
Rubin, R.: Calcium and the secretory process. New York, Plenum Press 1974
Schmidt, E.O.: Neue Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte der Würmer, gesammelt auf einer Reise nach den Faror im Frühjahr 1848 (Orig. description of Nerilla antennata), 44 S. Jena: Friedrich Mauke 1848
Sleigh, M.A.: Metachronism of cilia of metazoa. In: Cilia and flagella (M.A. Sleigh, ed.), pp. 287–304. London: Academic Press 1974
Swedmark, B.: The interstitial fauna of marine sand. Biol. Rev. Camb. Philos. Soc.39, 1–42 (1964)
Tyler, S.: An adhesive function for modified cilia in an interstitial turbellarian. Acta Zoologica54, 139–151 (1973)
Uskova, Y.T., Chaykovskaya, A.V., Devidenko, S.I.: Relationship between the chemical composition of the mucus substances on fish skin and their efficiency in reducing drag. Hydrobiol. J.12, 73–75 (1976)
Winet, H.: Ciliary propulsion of objects in tubes: wall drag on swimmingTetrahymena (Ciliata) in the presence of mucin and other long-chain polymers. J. Exptl. Biol.64, 283–302 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
I acknowledge the support of a NIH grant to Professor Richard M. Eakin, the use of the facilities of the Electron Microscope Laboratory at Berkeley, the collection ofPolychoerus by Mr. Charles Spowart, assistance with the micrographs by Noni D. Martin, and the critical reading of the manuscript by Drs. R.M. Eakin and Colin O. Hermans
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Martin, G.G. Ciliary gliding in lower invertebrates. Zoomorphologie 91, 249–261 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999814
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999814