Premium
Burrowing, Locomotion and Other Movements of the Echiuran Ochetostoma caudex
Author(s) -
Biseswar R.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.1991.tb00321.x
Subject(s) - burrow , peristalsis , biology , anatomy , peristaltic pump , ecology , physics , meteorology
Burrowing, iocomotory and other movements of the echiuran Ochetostoma caudex have been examined and discussed. A continuous body cavity enables the worm to undergo peristaltic waves to pump water through the burrow without causing locomotion. The animal is capable of both forward and backward locomotion in its burrow. During forward locomotion, retrograde peristaltic waves are utilized which advance the animal in a step‐wise fashion. Pressure changes within the coelom during burrowing, locomotion and during irrigation movements have been measured with the use of electronic recording techniques and the results interpreted in relation to direct visual observation. The structural and functional specializations for burrowing are discussed and compared with the activities of Priapulus caudatus, Sipunculus nudus and Bonellia viridis.