A5032819111- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
- Crustacean biology and ecology
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Mollusks and Parasites Studies
- Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
University of Copenhagen
2016-2025
Universidade Estadual do Paraná
2020
University of Vienna
2018
Google (United States)
2016
Marine Biological Laboratory
2009-2011
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
2009
Morpho (United States)
2008
The University of Adelaide
2008
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
2008
Natural History Museum Aarhus
2006
The latest animal phylum to be discovered, Micrognathozoa, constitutes a rare group of limnic meiofauna. These microscopic 'jaw animals' are among the smallest metazoans yet possess highly complex jaw structures. single species Limnognathia maerski Kristensen and Funch, 2000, was first described from Greenland, later reported remote Subantarctic island more recently discovered in Pyrenees on European continent. Successful collections these three known populations facilitated investigations...
This paper identifies the top-50 priority questions for meiofaunal research, highlighting their critical roles in biogeochemical cycles and biodiversity. It calls a balanced research agenda, international cooperation, advances technology to overcome current challenges unlock meiofauna's full potential.
Background Biogeographical and macroecological principles are derived from patterns of distribution in large organisms, whereas microscopic ones have often been considered uninteresting, because their supposed wide distribution. Here, after reporting the results an intensive faunistic survey marine animals (meiofauna) Northern Sardinia, we test for effect body size, dispersal ability, habitat features on several groups. Methodology/Principal Findings As a dataset use workshop held at La...
Annelid disparity has resulted in morphological-based classifications that disagree with phylogenies based on Sanger sequencing and phylogenomic analyses. However, the data used for latter studies came from various sources technologies, involved poorly occupied matrices lacked key lineages. Here, we generated a new Illumina-based set to address annelid relationships fresh perspective, independent previously nearly fully matrices. Our sampling reflects span of diversity, including two...
We describe two new species of the annelid genus Trilobodrilus Remane, 1925 (Dinophilidae Verill, 1892) from an intertidal and a subtidal location in San Diego, California. These show morphological molecular divergences between each other previously described, geographically distant species. Intertidal T. windansea sp. nov. differs ellenscrippsae most remarkably number pattern ciliary tufts bands on prostomium along body length, besides showing ca 15% difference gene fragments COI CytB....
Abstract The causes and consequences of genome reduction in animals are unclear because our understanding this process mostly relies on lineages with often exceptionally high rates evolution. Here, we decode the compact 73.8-megabase Dimorphilus gyrociliatus , a meiobenthic segmented worm. D. retains traits classically associated larger slower-evolving genomes, such as an ordered, intact Hox cluster, generally conserved developmental toolkit traces ancestral bilaterian linkage. Unlike some...
A median, segmented, annelid nerve cord has repeatedly been compared to the arthropod and vertebrate cords became most used textbook representation of nervous system. Recent phylogenomic analyses, however, challenge hypothesis that a subepidermal rope-ladder-like ventral (VNC) composed paired serial chain ganglia somata-free connectives represents either plesiomorphic or typical condition in annelids. Using comparative approach by combining analyses with morphological methods...
Remipedia is a stygobitic group commonly associated with coastal anchialine caves. This class consists of 12 genera, ten which are found within the Lucayan Archipelago. Herein, we describe new species genus Godzillius from Conch Sound Blue Hole, North Andros Island, Bahamas. louriei sp. nov. third known remipede observed subseafloor marine cave, and first Godzilliidae. Remipedes dwell notoriously difficult to access cave habitats thus integrative comprehensive systematic studies at family or...
Abstract Aphroditiformia represents one of the most successful radiations annelids, and is therefore an interesting model to understand morphological functional evolution. Previous phylogenetic analyses yielded families as monophyletic but excluded anchialine interstitial species while failing recover relationships within Sigalionidae. Here we address these shortcomings through analysis four molecular markers 87 characters sampled across 127 under assumptions parsimony model‐based methods....
Priapulida is a small phylum of 22 described species that are divided into two size classes (microscopic and macroscopic), distinguished by adult larval morphology. Most priapulidans rare or live in inaccessible habitats, freshly collected material for molecular studies difficult to obtain. With this study, we the first time aim resolve phylogeny extant using transcriptomic, genomic, morphological data. We analyze six newly assembled transcriptomes alongside existing data, covering seven...
After the deployment of several whale carcasses in Monterey Bay, California, a time-series analysis revealed presence new species Osedax, genus bone-eating siboglinid annelids. That is described here as Osedax roseus n. sp. It fifth since erection this and, like its congeners, uses ramifying network "roots" to house symbiotic bacteria. In less than 2 months, colonized exposed bones carcass deposited at 1018-m depth, and many females were fecund about 3 months post-deployment. As with other...
The interstitial environment of marine sandy bottoms is a nutrient-rich, sheltered habitat whilst at the same time also often turbulent, space-limited, and ecologically challenging dominated by meiofauna. fauna one most diverse on earth accommodates miniaturized representatives from many macrofaunal groups as well several exclusively meiofaunal phyla. colonization process this environment, with restrictions imposed limited space low Reynolds numbers, has selected for great morphological...
Recent phylogenomic analyses congruently reveal a basal clade which consists of Oweniidae and Mageloniidae as sister group to the remaining Annelida. These results indicate that last common ancestor Annelida was tube-dwelling organism. They also challenge traditional evolutionary hypotheses different organ systems, among them nervous system. In textbooks central system is described consisting ganglionic ventral dorsally located brain with tracts connect certain parts each other. Only limited...
Mud dragons (Kinorhyncha) are microscopic invertebrates, inhabiting marine sediments across the globe from intertidal to hadal depths. They segmented, moulting animals like arthropods, but grouping with unsegmented priapulans and loriciferans within Ecdysozoa. There more than 300 species of kinorhynchs described 31 genera 11 families, however, their evolutionary relationships have so far only been investigated using morphology a few molecular markers. Here we aim resolve classification major...
Abstract Dwarf males of the bone‐eating worms Osedax (Siboglinidae, Annelida) have been proposed to develop from larvae that settle on females rather than bone. The apparent arrest in somatic development and resemblance trochophore has posited as an example paedomorphosis. Here, we present first investigation entire muscle nervous system dwarf frankpressi , O. roseus rubiplumus O . “spiral” analyzed by multistaining confocal laser scanning microscopy. Sperm shape spermiogenesis, sperm duct...
The evolutionary history of A xiokebuita and S peleobregma, two poorly known lineages annelids exclusive from deep‐sea or marine caves but always crevicular habitats, is explored here. peleobregma lanzaroteum Bertelsen, 1986, cavernicola sp. n. are described anchialine the C anary Islands using light electron microscopy. previously only a single specimen water column an cave in L anzarote. Emended diagnosis, details on ciliary patterns behavioural observations provided based newly collected...
Several independent meiofaunal lineages are suggested to have originated through progenesis, however, morphological support for this heterochronous process is still lacking. Progenesis defined as an arrest of somatic development (synchronously in various organ systems) due early maturation, resulting adults resembling larvae or juveniles the ancestors. Accordingly, we established a detailed neuromuscular developmental atlas two closely related Dinophilidae using immunohistochemistry and...
Abstract Protodrilidae is a group of small, superficially simple‐looking annelids, lacking chaetae and appendages, except for two prostomial palps. Originally considered to be one the primitive “archiannelid” families, its affinity within Annelida still highly debated. Protodrilids are found worldwide in interstices intertidal subtidal marine sediments. Despite their simple appearance they constitute most species‐rich interstitial with 36 described species genera, Protodrilus gutless Astomus...
Abstract Background The microscopic worm group Lobatocerebridae has been regarded a ‘problematicum’, with the systematic relationship being highly debated until recent phylogenomic study placed them within annelids (Curr Biol 25: 2000-2006, 2015). To date, morphological comparison other spiralian taxa lacks detailed information on nervous and muscular system, which is here presented for Lobatocerebrum riegeri n. sp. based immunohistochemistry confocal laser scanning microscopy, supported by...