Study of architectonics of rotifer musculature by the method of fluorescence with use of confocal microscopy

Abstract

Musculature of two species of rotifers Testudinella patina (Testudinellidae) and Platyias patulus (Brachiomidae) was studied in confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) using fluores� centlabeled phalloidin. It includes cutaneous, visceral, and cutaneusvisceral musculature. The common pattern of structure of the cutaneous musculature is represented by postcoronal circular or transverse muscles and connected with them 2-3 pairs of retractors of the trunk, dorsolateral mus� cles (17-4), two pairs or bundles of lateral retractors of the corona, circular muscles of the foot, and 10-2 retractors of the foot. Visceral musculature includes muscles of the mastax of both kinds. Spi� rallike muscle of cloaca of the T. patina and associated with it Vshaped one as well as strong dor� solateral retractors consisting of 6 longitudinal muscle bundles are typical of Testudinellidae only. Three pairs of cutaneusvisceral muscles bind the musculature of mastax with the body surface in T. patina. Differences in localization and thickness of some elements of musculature of these species are determined by morphological peculiarities of structure of the corona, mastax, and foot, as well as by the rotifer body shape.