A morphological reappraisal of Tubifex blanchardi Vejdovsky, 1891 (Clitellata: Tubificidae)
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2009
Citazione:
A morphological reappraisal of Tubifex blanchardi Vejdovsky, 1891 (Clitellata: Tubificidae) / R. Marotta, A. Crottini, V. Prada, M. Ferraguti. - In: ACTA ZOOLOGICA. - ISSN 0001-7272. - 90:2(2009), pp. 179-188.
Abstract:
Tubifex blanchardi Vejdovsky, 1891 is a freshwater tubificid, often living in sympatry with Tubifex tubifex (Müller 1774). Although considered from its discovery as
a species on its own, its biological status is debated. During the early seventies
T. blanchardi was reduced to a mere form of
T. tubifex , as a particular case of
polymorphism in chaetal pattern. Using classical histological techniques, microdissections of portions of the male genital apparatus and phalloidin staining of
dissected copulatory organs we investigated 163 mixed individuals of T. blanchardi
and T. tubifex belonging to sympatric populations from the Lambro River
(Milan, Northern Italy). The internal morphology of T. blanchardi is described
for the first time. Our results show that
T. tubifex and T. blanchardi differ in
several characters concerning both their external and internal morphology, and
in the fine organization of their copulatory organs. Several independent character
sets support the separation of T. blanchardi
from T. tubifex , suggesting that it is an independent species. This study also supports the idea that T. blanchardi
and T. bergi (Hrabe, 1935), another species closely related to T. tubifex, are not
conspecific. The observed morphological differences between allopatric populations
of T. tubifex are discussed.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Confocal laser scanning microscopy; Copulatory organ; Histology; Morphology; Tubifex blanchardi; Tubifex tubifex
Elenco autori:
R. Marotta, A. Crottini, V. Prada, M. Ferraguti
Link alla scheda completa: