Xenoturbella monstrous pink
| Xenoturbella monstrous pink | ||||||||||||
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| Xenoturbella monstrous pink | ||||||||||||
| Rouse et al., 2016 |
Xenoturbella monstrosa is a species of the genus Xenoturbella , which was described in 2016 together with three other species of the genus. The animals represent a very basic group of worm-like multicellular animals and are combined with the Acoelomorpha to form the Xenacoelomorpha .
features
Xenoturbella monstrosa corresponds in its characteristics to the other known species of the genus, but with a body length of up to 20 centimeters it is significantly larger than all known species. The animals are colored purple or pale pink and the back side is characterized by two deep furrows along the axis of the body. In addition, an annular furrow and a side furrow were discovered. The body is rounded off in front of the annular furrow and tapers towards the end of the body. The mouth opening is oval in the relaxed state, it lies on the underside approximately in the middle between the front end and the annular groove. The epidermal network takes up about two thirds of the abdomen. The body wall contains gametes on both the back and the abdomen .
In the tissue of the holotype, in addition to the DNA of the species, those of the clam Archivesica diagonalis, which belong to the Vesicomyidae, and of the Mexican paratype, those of Calyptogena pacifica were identified.
Locations and way of life
 
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Locations of Xenoturbella monstrosa
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The species has been described on the basis of three specimens, two of which come from a mussel field in the Monterey deep-sea trench off California at a depth of about 2890 meters and one from the Guaymas fold in the Gulf of California , Mexico , at 1722 meters. The Mexican specimen was only about 30 centimeters away from the type of Xenoturbella churro . The animals were sucked off the sea floor with the help of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).
No information is available on the animals' way of life. The animals found in the Monterey deep-sea trench lay in a mussel bank of numerous individuals from Ectenagena extenta and some Archivesica diagonalis . They were in an area with the diagonal artery, which produced an unusually large amount of mucus and either died or spawned larvae.
Systematics
Xenoturbella monstrosa was scientifically described in 2016 as an independent species together with three other species of the genus by a working group led by Greg W. Rouse . Due to the clear similarity to the species of the genus Xenoturbella already described , it was also placed in this genus together with the other new species.
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Phylogenetic system of the genus Xenoturbella according to Rouse et al. 2016
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The relationship of the previously known species was investigated on the basis of a molecular-biological DNA analysis, according to which X. monstrosa, together with X. profunda and X. churro, forms a common taxon of deep-sea species, which are opposed to the shallow water species X. bocki and X. hollandorum .
The name addition monstrosa is derived from the size of the animals, which with a body length of up to 20 centimeters is significantly larger than that of the other known species.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g Greg W. Rouse, Nerida G. Wilson, Jose I. Carvajal, Robert C. Vrijenhoek: New deep-sea species of Xenoturbella and the position of Xenacoelomorpha. Nature 530, Feb. 4, 2016; Pp. 94-97 doi : 10.1038 / nature16545
- ^ Johanna Taylor Cannon, Bruno Cossermelli Vellutini, Julian Smith, Fredrik Ronquist, Ulf Jondelius, Andreas Hejnol: Xenacoelomorpha is the sister group to Nephrozoa. Nature 530, Feb. 4, 2016; Pp. 89-93 doi : 10.1038 / nature16520
literature
- Greg W. Rouse, Nerida G. Wilson, Jose I. Carvajal, Robert C. Vrijenhoek: New deep-sea species of Xenoturbella and the position of Xenacoelomorpha. Nature 530, Feb. 4, 2016; Pp. 94-97 doi : 10.1038 / nature16545