Sara,
I don't believe we are referring to the same "head pores". The multiple
pores you mention (probably 1-2 microns in diameter) may well be associated
with chemosensation; alternatively, they may be secreting mucus.
The head pore observed in some oligochaetes (i.e., some enchytraeidae) is
100-150 microns across and there is only one on each worm.
Dan
>Good question. And here's one for you. At what magnification do you see
>these pores? I am in the midst of a study of sensory structures on the
>palps and prostomium of various spionid polychaetes, especially Polydora
>quadrilobata. SEM shows that P. quadrilobata has a fantastic distribution of
>ciliated sensory structures and adjacent pores all over its prostomium
>(I'll be
>showing pictures at the SICB meeting in Atlanta in January). My guess
>(and hope) is that both are chemosensory structures. I still have to do the
>TEM to know the ultrastructure better. I am also in the early stages of
>developing molecular probes for chemosensory receptors, with the aim of
>doing in situ hybridizations to localize expression patterns of genes
>encoding chemoreceptors.
>>I too would like to hear others' comments on these structures.
>>Cheers,
>Sara Lindsay
><SLINDSAY at MAINE.EDU>
>>> Some annelids have distinct head pores at or near the tip of their
>> prostomium. What function(s) does this serve?
Dan Shain <shain at uclink4.berkeley.edu>
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