Chaigneau J, Besse C, Jaros PP, Martin G, Wägele JW, Willig A. Organ of Bellonci of an Antarctic crustacean, the marine isopod Glyptonotus antarcticus.
J Morphol 2005;
207:119-128. [PMID:
29865497 DOI:
10.1002/jmor.1052070202]
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Abstract
The paired organ of Bellonci protrudes from the optic lobe of the giant Antarctic isopod, Glyptonotus antarcticus. It is linked to the cortex by a broad peduncle. No connection to the cuticle or "sensory pore organ" was found. A cluster of sensory-like cells forms two outer ciliary segments branching into numerous microvilli with microtubules. The putative sensory somata are irregular in shape and contain a very high density of glycogen granules. The two outer segments sprout from two pits of the soma in different directions, forming a right angle. Glial cells wrap around the sensory cells and also delimit lacunae into which bundles of microvilli project. These lacunae contain electron-dense granules of small size and with species-specific patterns. Lacunae and dense granules show features typical of a degeneration process in the sensory cells. This general morphology corresponds to the unilobular type of organ of Bellonci, known in other isopods; it differs from the plurilobular type with onion bodies found in other Crustacea.
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