Dipolydora palp characters

[Sara Lindsay]

Katrine,

Thanks for the correction. I am interested by the "new palp characters" 
found on the Dipolydora species: randomly scattered motile cirri and 
glandular holes.  I wonder if we are looking at the same thing? I have been 
investigating such structures in spionids from Maine, USA, notably 
Polydora quadrilobata (which I assume I should now be calling Dipolydora -
- sorry), Polydora cornuta, and Streblospio benedictii.  In D. quadrilobata, 
these structures are tufts of cilia that may be evertible; they occur on the 
abfrontal surface of the palps and on the prostomium as well. TEM reveals 
characteristics reminiscient of other invertebrate chemoreceptors: short 
ciliary rootlets and an abundance of apical mitochondria. Tim Riordan in 
my lab is currently conducting antibody labeling experiments to determine if 
these structures are stimulated by behaviorally relevant odors.  As for the 
glandular holes, TEM shows gland cells of at least two different types (i.e. 
with different types of secretions). The structures on the prostomium of D. 
quadrilobata seem to be the same as those on the palps. I've suggested 
these structures may be chemosensory; Tim's work will help confirm that or 
not.  

Has anyone else observed similar structures on other species?

Wormly,
Sara Lindsay

***************************************************
Sara Lindsay
Assistant Research Professor
School of Marine Sciences, 5751 Murray Hall
University of Maine, Orono ME 04469-5715
tel. 207-581-2739       fax. 207-581-2537

visit our website at: http://www.ume.maine.edu/~marine/index.html


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