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Fig. 2 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Fig. 2

From: Neuroanatomy of mud dragons: a comprehensive view of the nervous system in Echinoderes (Kinorhyncha) by confocal laser scanning microscopy

Fig. 2

Acetylated α-tubulin-LIR in the nervous system of Echinoderes. a-h Confocal z-stack projections of specimens co-labeled for acTub-LIR and DNA (a-c) or F-actin (e, g-h). Anterior is up in all panels. Specimen silhouettes with dashed squares (b-h) indicate the axial region of each z-stack. a-c Echinoderes spinifurca. d-h Echinoderes horni. a Ventral view with head retracted showing the ventral nerve cord, two longitudinal ventrolateral nerves and transverse neurites within segments. a’ Magnified view of the ventral nerve cord showing clusters of cell nuclei within segmental ganglia (dashed circles). b-c Anterior region with introvert and mouth cone everted in (b) ventral and (c) dorsal views. The brain region is divided into aggregations of anterior and posterior somata with a centralized neuropil. c The longitudinal neurites fuse (arrowheads) in segment 1. d-e Segments 1–6 with head retracted. e Same image as in (d) with musculature (F-actin). f-h Segments 7–11 in (f-g) ventral and (h) dorsal views. g Same image as in (f) with musculature (F-actin). Scissor symbols mark the positions of cuticle dissection to facilitate antibody penetration. An asterisk (f-g) marks the location where the ventral nerve cord divides into left and right branches. Scale bars: 20 μm. Abbreviations: aso, anterior somata; b, brain; nen, nephridial neurite; np, neuropil; lnb, longitudinal neurite bundle; ltasn, lateral terminal accessory spine neurite; mcnr, mouth cone nerve ring; gn, gonad neurite; osn, oral style neurite; psn, primary spinoscalids neurite; pso, posterior somata; s1–11, trunk segment number; sdn, subdorsal longitudinal nerve; sm, segmental muscles; sn, spine neurite; spn, spinoscalid neurite; ssn, sensory spot neurite; tbn, tube neurite; tn, transverse neurite; tsm, terminal spine muscle; tsn, terminal spine neurite; vln, ventrolateral nerve; vnc, ventral nerve cord; vncn, ventral nerve cord neurite

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