New data and 3D reconstruction of four species of Pruvotinidae (Mollusca: Solenogastres) from the NW Iberian peninsula

Abstract

The family Pruvotinidae (Mollusca, Solenogastres, Cavibelonia) includes 34 species, six of which are present in hard bottoms off Galicia (NW Iberian Peninsula). In this study, three-dimensional (3D) anatomical reconstruction techniques were applied for the study of four species of the family present in Galician waters: Pruvotina artabra, Gephyroherpia impar, Luitfriedia minuta and Unciherpia hirsuta. Histology and 3D rendering in this study were carried out with Avizo 6.3 software and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). New morphological and anatomical data are provided. The 3D reconstruction techniques used, which are based on histological sections, offer a slightly distorted view of the anatomy, but allow a better understanding of the relative situation of the organs. Micro-CT provides less information than histological reconstruction, but offers an excellent 3D anatomical view and allows the specimens to be preserved intact. With the new specimens collected, new data on their distribution and bathymetry are provided.