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A transmission and scanning electron microscopy study of the cuticle and epidermis of Pomatoceros lamarckii (Polychaeta: Serpulidae)
Author(s) -
Bubel Andreas
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
the transactions of the zoological society of london
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0084-5620
DOI - 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1983.tb00066.x
Subject(s) - cuticle (hair) , epidermis (zoology) , anatomy , biology , ultrastructure , protein filament , arthropod cuticle , electron microscope , microbiology and biotechnology , insect , botany , genetics , physics , optics
The structure of the cuticle and epidermis in different regions of the body of the serpulid, Pomatoceros lamarckii Quatrefages, is described by means of transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The thickness and ultrastructure of both the cuticle and epidermis is seen to vary in different regions of the body. The cuticle of the opercular filament, thorax and main parts of the branchial filaments, pinnules and collar is composed of layers of orthogonally arranged fibres embedded in an amorphous matrix and capped by a thin superficial filamentous layer. The cuticular fibres are unstriated and are formed of bundles of thin fibrils. In contrast, the cuticle covering the abdomen and parts of the collar and pinnules is composed of a filamentous matrix. However, over all the body the cuticle is traversed by microvilli from underlying epidermal cells. Evidence is presented that the epidermal cells are the source of the cuticle material. A single gland cell type is found within the epidermis of the pinnules, whereas two gland cell types are found within the epidermis of the thorax. The gland cells possess secretory granules with distinctive contents that arise from polarized Golgi complexes. The thorax gland cells are found to secrete their contents to the exterior of the animal through channels in the cuticle. Scattered throughout the epidermis of the opercular filament, branchial filaments and collar are small groups of sensory cilia which pass vertically through the cuticle. Discussion centres around the nature of the cuticle, the mode of cuticle secretion, the nature and function of the gland cells and the distribution of epidermal sensory cells. The significance of these findings is compared with those in other annelids.