Larval Planktotrophy—A Primitive Trait in the Bilateria?

Abstract

AbstractThe concept of Gösta Jägersten of a primary biphasic metazoan life‐cycle, consisting of a planktotrophic larva and a benthic adult, forms the basis for several theories on metazoan phylogeny. In this paper the assumed planktotrophic life‐style of the larva is critically analyzed and reconsidered. It is shown, in particular for the Mollusca, that a biphasic life‐cycle with a lecithotrophic larva is probably the plesiomorphic condition. Character distribution and structural data suggest a parallel evolution of the downstream collecting system used in planktotrophic larvae or filter‐feeding adults of gastropods, bivalves and other spiralian or aschelminth taxa. In the basic metazoans (Parazoa, Placozoa, coelenterates) direct or lecithotrophic development dominates by far. For the acoelomate (Platyhelminthes, Gnathostomulida) and pseudocoelomate taxa direct development is probably the plesiomorphic condition. The structural similarities of the upstream collecting system in tentaculate and deuterostome phyla may also be explained by parallel events of heterochrony out of an ancestor with adult filter‐feeding. The main conclusion of this survey is that larval planktotrophy is likely to be secondary and not a plesiomorphic condition among the Bilateria. Accordingly, theories which are based on the assumed plesiomorphy of larval planktotrophy of the Bilateria, need careful reevaluation.