TY - JOUR
T1 - External morphology of the cycliophoran dwarf male
T2 - a comparative study of Symbion pandora and S. americanus
AU - Neves, Ricardo Cardoso
AU - da Cunha, Maria Ribeiro
AU - Funch, Peter
AU - Wanninger, Andreas Wilhelm Georg
AU - Kristensen, Reinhardt Møbjerg
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Cycliophora is a recently described phylum to which only two species have been assigned so far, Symbion pandora and S. americanus. The cycliophoran life cycle is complex and alternates between asexual and sexual stages. Although not recognized as an entirely independent free-swimming stage when the phylum was first described, the dwarf male has a remarkably complex bodyplan albeit its very small size (approx. 30-40 μm in length). Aiming to increase the knowledge on the gross morphology of the cycliophoran dwarf male, specimens from S. pandora and S. americanus were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. In both species, anterior and ventral ciliated fields, as well as paired lateral sensorial organs, were identified, thus confirming previous observations. However, new details are described herein such as the penial pouch that encloses the penis. We compare our findings on both Symbion species with the data currently available on other metazoan dwarf males.
AB - Cycliophora is a recently described phylum to which only two species have been assigned so far, Symbion pandora and S. americanus. The cycliophoran life cycle is complex and alternates between asexual and sexual stages. Although not recognized as an entirely independent free-swimming stage when the phylum was first described, the dwarf male has a remarkably complex bodyplan albeit its very small size (approx. 30-40 μm in length). Aiming to increase the knowledge on the gross morphology of the cycliophoran dwarf male, specimens from S. pandora and S. americanus were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. In both species, anterior and ventral ciliated fields, as well as paired lateral sensorial organs, were identified, thus confirming previous observations. However, new details are described herein such as the penial pouch that encloses the penis. We compare our findings on both Symbion species with the data currently available on other metazoan dwarf males.
U2 - 10.1007/s10152-010-0204-5
DO - 10.1007/s10152-010-0204-5
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1438-387X
VL - 64
SP - 257
EP - 262
JO - Helgoland Marine Research
JF - Helgoland Marine Research
IS - 3
ER -