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Description of the larval and adult hindgut tract of the common spider crab Maja brachydactyla Balss, 1922 (Brachyura, Decapoda, Malacostraca)

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Abstract

Arthropods are the most diversified animals on Earth. The morphology of the digestive system has been widely studied in insects; however, crustaceans have received comparatively little attention. This study describes the hindgut tract of the common spider crab Maja brachydactyla Balss, 1922, in larvae and adults using dissection, light and electron microscopical analyses. The hindgut tract maintains a similar general shape in larvae and adults. Major differences among stages are found in the morphology of epithelial cells and microspines, the thickness of the cuticle and connective-like tissue, and the presence of rosette glands (only in adults). Here, we provide the description of the sub-cellular structure of the folds, epithelium (conformed by tendon cells), musculature, and microspines of the hindgut of larvae and adults of M. brachydactyla. The morphological features of the hindgut of M. brachydactyla are compared with those of other arthropods (Insecta, Myriapoda and Arachnida). Our results suggest that the morphology of the hindgut is associated mainly with transport of faeces. In adults, the hindgut may also exert an osmoregulatory function, as described in other arthropods. At difference from holometabolous insets, the hindgut of M. brachydactyla (Decapoda) does not undergo a true metamorphic change during development, but major changes observed between larval and adult stages might respond to the different body size between life stages.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank to the technicians at IRTA, Sant Carles de la Ràpita (David Carmona, Glòria Macià, Magda Monllaó, Francesc X. Ingla and Olga Bellot) and CCiTUB Hospital Clinic, Barcelona (Adriana Martínez, Almudena García, José Manuel Rebled and Rosa Rivera) for their assistance.

Funding

G.G. INIA Project (grant number RTA2011-00004-00-00) funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). D.C. FPI-INIA fellowship (INIA Project RTA2011-00004-00-00) funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Maricultura da Calheta, Av. D. Manuel I 7, 9370-135, Calheta, Madeira, Portugal

    Diego Castejón

  2. Centre d’Aqüicultura, IRTA, Ctra. del Poble Nou Km 5.5.Sant Carles de la Rapita, 43540, Tarragona, Spain

    Diego Castejón

  3. Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain

    Guiomar Rotllant

  4. Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Enric Ribes & Mercè Durfort

  5. Barcelona, Spain

    Guillermo Guerao

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  1. Diego Castejón
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  2. Guiomar Rotllant
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  3. Enric Ribes
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  4. Mercè Durfort
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Correspondence to Diego Castejón.

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Castejón, D., Rotllant, G., Ribes, E. et al. Description of the larval and adult hindgut tract of the common spider crab Maja brachydactyla Balss, 1922 (Brachyura, Decapoda, Malacostraca). Cell Tissue Res 384, 703–720 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-021-03446-3

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