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PousazPower — Lovely Larvae

Published: 2009-02-15 21:09:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 1069; Favourites: 21; Downloads: 5
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Description As on HE, the larvae of Gossipiboman animals are just as diverse and spectacular as their parents, if not more so. Part of this project will be to construct labeled diagrams of the ontogenies of the various major phyla.

1. A generalized carcharivermid larva (hemicyclid). Unlike its parents, it\'s laterally compressed, and sports a row of cilia along its back. Like its parents, it is triangular in cross section, and possesses rows of eyes and nephridia. Parents: [link]

2. A generalized belonepterid (pimsnang) larva. This stage is called the lateropteran, and has lateral flaps, multiple ventral mouths, and ventral papillae. Parents: [link]

3. The lateropteran of an androzoan (kwump jelly). Those diverticula will eventually separate from the gut and become the pseudomesoglea. Parents: [link]

4, 5. These are the larvae of chaetopodophorans (sea platters). They swim on their anteroposterior axis, using the ovocephalon for propulsion. At this stage, the organs are arranged in parallel rows, and will later migrate to surround the mouth following some interesting coelomic changes. Parents: [link]

6. The trilateral larva of a plicohelminth (foldworm). The mouth will later migrate up onto the back and two of the corners of the triangle will fold over it. Parents: [link]

7. An intermediate larva of a tentaculopod. This is after torsion and the major organs are now surrounding the mouth. The two extra appendages are anal limbs. Parents: [link]

8. The medusoid larva of a tagmozoan. Its parents have yet to be officially drawn, described, or placed on my master cladogram, but imagine a segmented jellyfish.

9. The sessile polyp stage of a hydroanth (cone jelly). In a few months, it will detach and the adhesive surface will taper into a swimming flagellum. Parents: [link]

10. A generalized fibropteran larva. It won't undergo the dramatic, hidden metamorphosis of HE insects, but as the sclerites define themselves, the wings will develop from overgrown setae. This haphazard process must take place in seclusion, lest the wings end up as useless wisps of hair. Parents: [link] (like B, D, H, and K)

11. A vulcanozoon larva. Like a eumetazoan gastrula, but with a single layer of cells. Parents have yet to be illustrated, but a small image can be seen in here: [link]

12. The larva of a cephaloplacid sea platter. Its chaetae are located around the mouth currently, but will eventually migrate onto the ventral surface. Unlike in euchaetopodophorans, only the lungs will move to surround the ovocephalon. Parents: [link] and [link]

13. The lateropteran larva of a plicostome (barnacle worm). The mouths will either fuse or be reduced to one, depending on the species, the lateral flaps will fuse to become a filter-feeding channel, and the animal will settle down on its back like a barnacle. Parents: [link]

14. The lateropteran larva of a deep wamnips. Parent: [link] (A)

15. The hemicyclid larva of a carcharivermid (Cuneonereis). While its adult stage is rather normal-looking, this larva swims on its left side, with its peaked back leading the way. This behavior lends insight into the development of the motobranchs: [link]

16. The later proctostome larva of a basal motobranch (flagelloferan). The cilia will be gradually replaced by the larger flagella, a process that is already happening up front. Parents: [link]

17. The lecithotrophic (yolk-feeding) larva of an ichthyopod (six-finned fish). In development, first the upper oral flagella will ossify and fuse with the skull or be completely lost; then the lower (mandibular) oral flagella will fuse with each other, ossify, and become articulated with the skull; then the bundle of posterior flagella will fuse with each other to become the tail; finally the dorsal fin(s) will develop and the rays will form on the new tail. Parent: [link] (like C)

18. A planktotrophic larva of a tetrapinnid (four-finned fish). The oral flagella have prototeeth to catch prey, there are secondary eyes, and there are bioluminescent patches to attract prey. Parent: [link] (like D)

19. The gilled larva of a microbrachiid (amphibian). These gills, unlike those of fish and some neotenous microbrachiids, do not have internal bony supports. Parent: [link] (like E)

20. The larva of a tetrasteroid, after torsion. The little flaps and flanges are to keep the animal afloat in the water column. Parent: [link]

Note, these guys are not to scale, and are all planktonic unless otherwise noted.
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Comments: 4

Viergacht [2009-02-15 23:26:28 +0000 UTC]

It's all so complicated, and convincing. Like reading a textbook!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

PousazPower In reply to Viergacht [2009-02-15 23:29:01 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! That's kind of what I was going for, but I hope it's not too complicated. I'd like people to at least be able to get the gist of it.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Viergacht In reply to PousazPower [2009-02-15 23:34:36 +0000 UTC]

I like that textbook style myself. I don't know much about little critters like this but it's not to hard to follow along. Really impressive how much work you put into this.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

PousazPower In reply to Viergacht [2009-02-16 00:04:24 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Here's a diagram of larval fish anatomy in case you're interested: [link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0