Project 2877: J. A. Goodheart, S. Bleidissel, D. Schillo, D. L. Ayres, A. Preisfeld, E. E. Strong, A. G. Collins, M. P. Cummings, H. Waegele. 2018. Comparative morphology and evolution of the cnidosac in Cladobranchia (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia: Nudibranchia). Frontiers in Zoology. 15:43.
Specimen: Dondice occidentalis (USNM:1276036)
View: cross section

Abstract

Background
A number of shelled and shell-less gastropods are known to use multiple defensive mechanisms, including internally generated or externally obtained biochemically active compounds and structures. Within Nudipleura, nudibranchs within Cladobranchia possess such a special defense: the ability to sequester cnidarian nematocysts – small capsules that can inject venom into the tissues of other organisms. This ability is distributed across roughly 600 species within Cladobranchia, and many questions still remain in regard to the comparative morphology and evolution of the cnidosac – the structure that houses sequestered nematocysts (called kleptocnides). In this paper, we describe cnidosac morphology across the main groups of Cladobranchia in which it occurs, and place variation in its structure in a phylogenetic context to better understand the evolution of nematocyst sequestration.

Results
Overall, we find that the length, size and structure of the entrance to the cnidosac varies more than expected based on previous work, as does the structure of the exit, the musculature surrounding the cnidosac, and the position and orientation of the kleptocnides. The sequestration of nematocysts has originated at least twice within Cladobranchia based on the phylogeny presented here using 94 taxa and 409 genes.

Conclusions
The cnidosac is not homologous to cnidosac-like structures found in Hancockiidae. Additionally, the presence of a sac at the distal end of the digestive gland may have originated prior to the sequestration of nematocysts. This study provides a more complete picture of variation in, and evolution of, morphological characters associated with nematocyst sequestration in Cladobranchia.



Read the article »

Article DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0289-2

Project DOI: 10.7934/P2877, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P2877
This project contains
  • 84 Media
  • 4 Documents
  • 117 Taxa
  • 55 Specimens
Total size of project's media files: 420.61M

Download Project SDD File
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 2877

    Authors' Institutions

    • National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

    • University of California Santa Barbara

    • University of Maryland

    • University of Wuppertal

    • Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig

    • Smithsonian Institution



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media
    Jessica Goodheart
    Project Administrator
    1175584
    Sabrina Bleidißel
    Observer
    000
    Allen Collins
    Observer
    000
    Michael Cummings
    Observer
    000
    Dorothee Schillo
    Observer
    000
    Ellen Strong
    Observer
    000
    Heike Wägele
    Full membership
    000


    Project has no matrices defined.



    Project views

    type number of views Individual items viewed (where applicable)
    Total project views72836
    Project overview2014
    Media views33828Media search (3261 views); M475994 (318 views); M475952 (394 views); M475958 (377 views); M475951 (415 views); M475976 (389 views); M476014 (314 views); M475960 (444 views); M475980 (396 views); M475990 (362 views); M475978 (391 views); M475984 (359 views); M475985 (337 views); M476001 (321 views); M475943 (408 views); M475944 (429 views); M475945 (406 views); M475946 (417 views); M475947 (409 views); M475948 (421 views); M475949 (405 views); M475950 (393 views); M475953 (413 views); M475954 (426 views); M475955 (397 views); M475956 (389 views); M475957 (396 views); M475959 (411 views); M475961 (402 views); M475962 (378 views); M475963 (396 views); M475964 (383 views); M475965 (388 views); M475966 (528 views); M475967 (396 views); M475968 (374 views); M475969 (397 views); M475970 (382 views); M475971 (417 views); M475972 (403 views); M475973 (388 views); M475974 (388 views); M475975 (382 views); M475977 (400 views); M475979 (378 views); M475981 (399 views); M475982 (400 views); M475983 (375 views); M475986 (398 views); M475987 (345 views); M475988 (331 views); M475989 (357 views); M475991 (322 views); M475992 (311 views); M475993 (302 views); M475995 (309 views); M475996 (311 views); M475997 (302 views); M475998 (304 views); M475999 (308 views); M476000 (319 views); M476002 (302 views); M476003 (341 views); M476004 (345 views); M476005 (346 views); M476006 (304 views); M476007 (303 views); M476008 (314 views); M476009 (327 views); M476010 (310 views); M476011 (432 views); M476012 (314 views); M476013 (319 views); M476015 (299 views); M476016 (305 views); M476017 (309 views); M476018 (310 views); M476019 (380 views); M476020 (354 views); M476021 (333 views); M476022 (347 views); M476023 (326 views); M476024 (307 views); M476025 (314 views); M476026 (316 views);
    Documents list889
    Specimen list24724
    Taxon list8812
    Views for media list1944
    Bibliography625




    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project194
    Document downloads3Data Matrix of Cnidosac Details (1 download); Data Matrix of Presence/Absence of Distal Sac and Kleptocnides (2 downloads);
    Project downloads186
    Media downloads5M475994 (1 download); M476003 (1 download); M475977 (1 download); M476015 (1 download); M475954 (1 download);