Morphogenesis of the digestive system during metamorphosis of the nudibranch Doridella steinbergae (Gastropoda): Conversion from phytoplanktivore to carnivore

Abstract

The structural changes undergone by the digestive system of a phytoplanktotrophic nudibranch larva during metamorphosis into a benthic carnivore are described using histological and electron microscopic techniques. The relative positions of the stomach, digestive gland, and distal end of the intestine are rearranged at metamorphosis by the actions of the larval retractor muscle and the accessory pedal retractor muscle. Although the anus and distal end of the intestine are secondarily displaced to the posterior end of the gastropod, the stomach undergoes further torsional displacement at metamorphosis. The tissues of the larval stomach and distal end of the larval esophagus undergo drastic alteration at metamorphosis. The larval stomach consists of a ciliated vestibule, which receives the openings of the esophagus and left digestive gland, a gastric shield, a style sac, and an intestinal groove. All of these areas, except the vestibule, are destroyed by cell dissociation at metamorphosis. The vestibule becomes the ventral stomach of the benthic stage and the proximal end of the intestine becomes enlarged and muscularized to form the dorsal ‘stomach’ of the benthic stage. The metamorphic changes involving the distal end of the esophagus include the continued development of the radula and oral lip glands, which both appear in rudimentary form during the larval stage, and differentiation of the buccal pump, salivary glands, and oral lips.