Nerves in the endodermal canals of hydromedusae and their role in swimming inhibition

Two swimming modes in Trachymedusae; bell kinematics and the role of giant axons

Although members of the Rhopalonematidae family (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Trachymedusae) are known to exhibit unusually powerful jet swimming in addition to their more normal slow swimming behaviour, for the most part, reports are rare and anecdotal. Many species are found globally at depths of 600–2000 m, and so observation and collection depend on using remotely operated submersible vehicles. With a combination of in situ video footage and laboratory measurements, we have quantified kinematic aspects of this dual swimming motion and its electrophysiology. The species included are from two Rhopalonematidae clades; they are Colobonema sericeum, Pantachogon haeckeli, Crossota millsae and two species of Benthocodon. Comparison is made with Aglantha digitale, a species from a third Rhopalonematidae clade brought to the surface by natural water movement. We find that although all Rhopalonematidae appear to have two swimming modes, there are marked differences in their neural anatomy, kinematics and physiology. Giant motor axons, known to conduct impulses during fast swimming in A. digitale, are absent from C. sericeum and P. haeckeli. Slow swimming is also different; in C. sericeum and its relatives it is driven by contractions restricted to the base of the bell, whereas in A. digitale it is driven by contractions in the mid-bell region. These behavioural differences are related to the position of the different clades on a ribosomal DNA-based phylogenetic tree. This finding allows us to pinpoint the phylogenetic branch point leading to the appearance of giant motor axons and escape swimming. They place the remarkable dual swimming behaviour of members of the Rhopalonematidae family into an evolutionary context.

Summary: 18S ribosomal DNA data support anatomical, kinematic and electrophysiological evidence that identifies the phylogenetic branch point giving rise to giant-axon-based fast and slow swimming in the Rhopalonematidae.

Atlas of the neuromuscular system in the Trachymedusa Aglantha digitale: Insights from the advanced hydrozoan

Cnidaria is the sister taxon to bilaterian animals, and therefore, represents a key reference lineage to understand early origins and evolution of the neural systems. The hydromedusa Aglantha digitale is arguably the best electrophysiologically studied jellyfish because of its system of giant axons and unique fast swimming/escape behaviors. Here, using a combination of scanning electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry together with phalloidin labeling, we systematically characterize both neural and muscular systems in Aglantha, summarizing and expanding further the previous knowledge on the microscopic neuroanatomy of this crucial reference species. We found that the majority, if not all (~2,500) neurons, that are labeled by FMRFamide antibody are different from those revealed by anti-α-tubulin immunostaining, making these two neuronal markers complementary to each other and, therefore, expanding the diversity of neural elements in Aglantha with two distinct neural subsystems. Our data uncovered the complex organization of neural networks forming a functional "annulus-type" central nervous system with three subsets of giant axons, dozen subtypes of neurons, muscles, and a variety of receptors fully integrated with epithelial conductive pathways supporting swimming, escape and feeding behaviors. The observed unique adaptations within the Aglantha lineage (including giant axons innervating striated muscles) strongly support an extensive and wide-spread parallel evolution of integrative and effector systems across Metazoa.

Muscle and nerve net organization in stalked jellyfish (Medusozoa: Staurozoa)

Staurozoan cnidarians display an unusual combination of polyp and medusa characteristics and their morphology may be informative about the evolutionary origin of medusae. We studied neuromuscular morphology of two staurozoans, Haliclystus 'sanjuanensis' and Manania handi, using whole mount immunohistochemistry with antibodies against FMRFamide and α-tubulin to label neurons and phalloidin to label muscles. All muscles appeared to lack striations. Longitudinal interradial muscles are probable homologues of stalk muscles in scyphopolyps, but in adult staurozoans they are elaborated to inwardly flex marginal lobes of the calyx during prey capture; these muscles are pennate in M. handi. Manubrial perradial muscles, like the manubrium itself, are an innovation shared with pelagic medusae and manubrial interradial muscles are shared with scyphozoan ephyra. Marginal muscles of M. handi displayed occasional synchronous contraction reminiscent of a medusa swim pulse, but contractions were not repetitive. The nerve net in both species showed regional variation in density and orientation of neurons. Some areas labeled predominantly by α-tubulin antibodies (exumbrellar epidermis), other areas labeled exclusively by FMRFamide antibodies (dense plexus of neurites surrounding the base of secondary tentacles, neuronal concentration at the base of transformed primary tentacles; gastrodermal nerve net), but most areas showed a mix of neurons labeled by these two antibodies and frequent co-labeling of neurons. Transformed primary tentacles had a concentration of FMRFamide-immunoreactive neurons at their base that was associated with a pigment spot in M. handi; this is consistent with their homology with rhopalia of medusae, which are also derived from primary tentacles. The muscular system of these staurozoans embodies characteristics of both scyphopolyps and pelagic medusae. However, their nerve net is more polyp-like, although marginal concentrations of the net associated with primary and secondary tentacles may facilitate the richer behavioral repertoire of staurozoans relative to polyps of other medusozoans. J. Morphol. 278:29-49, 2017. ©© 2016 Wiley Periodicals,Inc.

Electrogenesis in the lower Metazoa and implications for neuronal integration

Electrogenic communication appears to have evolved independently in a variety of animal and plant lineages. Considered here are metazoan cells as disparate as the loose three-dimensional parenchyma of glass sponges, the two-dimensional epithelial sheets of hydrozoan jellyfish and the egg cell membranes of the ctenophore Beroe ovata, all of which are capable of generating electrical impulses. Neuronal electrogenesis may have evolved independently in ctenophores and cnidarians but the dearth of electrophysiological data relating to ctenophore nerves means that our attention is focused on the Cnidaria, whose nervous systems have been the subject of extensive study. The aim here is to show how their active and passive neuronal properties interact to give integrated behaviour. Neuronal electrogenesis, goes beyond simply relaying 'states of excitement' and utilizes the equivalent of a set of basic electrical 'apps' to integrate incoming sensory information with internally generated pacemaker activity. A small number of membrane-based processes make up these analogue applications. Passive components include the decremental spread of current determined by cellular anatomy; active components include ion channels specified by their selectivity and voltage dependence. A recurring theme is the role of inactivating potassium channels in regulating performance. Although different aspects of cnidarian behaviour are controlled by separate neuronal systems, integrated responses and coordinated movements depend on interactions between them. Integrative interactions discussed here include those between feeding and swimming, between tentacle contraction and swimming and between slow and fast swimming in the hydrozoan jellyfish Aglantha digitale.

Serotonin-immunoreactive neural system and contractile system in the hydroid Cladonema (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa)

Serotonin is a widespread neurotransmitter which is present in almost all animal phyla including lower metazoans such as Cnidaria. Serotonin detected in the polyps of several cnidarian species participates in the functioning of a neural system. It was suggested that serotonin coordinates polyp behavior. For example, serotonin may be involved in muscle contraction and/or cnidocyte discharge. However, the role of serotonin in cnidarians is not revealed completely yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the neural system of Cladonema radiatum polyps. We detected the net of serotonin-positive processes within the whole hydranth body using anti-serotonin antibodies. The hypostome and tentacles had denser neural net in comparison with the gastric region. Electron microscopy revealed muscle processes throughout the hydranth body. Neural processes with specific vesicles and neurotubules in their cytoplasm were also shown at an ultrastructural level. This work demonstrates the structure of serotonin-positive neural system and smooth muscle layer in C. radiatum hydranths.

A new inhibitory pathway in the jellyfishPolyorchis penicillatus

Contact of food with the manubrial lips in the genus Polyorchis A. Agassiz, 1862 evokes trains of electrical impulses (E potentials) that propagate to the margin. E potentials are also produced by food stimuli at the margin and tentacle bases. E potentials are shown to be associated with inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (ipsps) in the swimming motor neurons and contribute to the arrest of swimming during feeding. The conduction pathway for E potentials is a nerve plexus located in the endodermal walls of the stomach and radial and ring canals. We have explored the conducting properties of the system; the conduction velocity varies with stimulus frequency but is about 15 cm/s when stimuli are more than 50 s apart. Neurites belonging to the E system run around the margin adjacent to the inner nerve ring, where the swimming pacemaker neurons are located. We suggest that they may make inhibitory synapses on to the swimming motor neurons, but this has yet to be demonstrated anatomically. The reversal potential for ipsps, recorded intracellularly with potassium acetate micropipettes, was estimated to be about –69 mV. Swimming inhibition mediated by this endodermal pathway is distinct from that observed during protective “crumpling” behaviour and that associated with contractions of the radial muscles seen during feeding, though it may accompany the latter.

Development of the nervous system in hatchlings of Spadella cephaloptera (Chaetognatha), and implications for nervous system evolution in Bilateria

Chaetognaths (arrow worms) play an important role as predators in planktonic food webs. Their phylogenetic position is unresolved, and among the numerous hypotheses, affinities to both protostomes and deuterostomes have been suggested. Many aspects of their life history, including ontogenesis, are poorly understood and, though some aspects of their embryonic and postembryonic development have been described, knowledge of early neural development is still limited. This study sets out to provide new insights into neurogenesis of newly hatched Spadella cephaloptera and their development during the following days, with attention to the two main nervous centers, the brain and the ventral nerve center. These were examined with immunohistological methods and confocal laser-scan microscopic analysis, using antibodies against tubulin, FMRFamide, and synapsin to trace the emergence of neuropils and the establishment of specific peptidergic subsystems. At hatching, the neuronal architecture of the ventral nerve center is already well established, whereas the brain and the associated vestibular ganglia are still rudimentary. The development of the brain proceeds rapidly over the next 6 days to a state that resembles the adult pattern. These data are discussed in relation to the larval life style and behaviors such as feeding. In addition, we compare the larval chaetognath nervous system and that of other bilaterian taxa in order to extract information with phylogenetic value. We conclude that larval neurogenesis in chaetognaths does not suggest an especially close relationship to either deuterostomes or protostomes, but instead displays many apomorphic features.

Invertebrate neurophylogeny: suggested terms and definitions for a neuroanatomical glossary

BACKGROUND

Invertebrate nervous systems are highly disparate between different taxa. This is reflected in the terminology used to describe them, which is very rich and often confusing. Even very general terms such as 'brain', 'nerve', and 'eye' have been used in various ways in the different animal groups, but no consensus on the exact meaning exists. This impedes our understanding of the architecture of the invertebrate nervous system in general and of evolutionary transformations of nervous system characters between different taxa.

RESULTS

We provide a glossary of invertebrate neuroanatomical terms with a precise and consistent terminology, taxon-independent and free of homology assumptions. This terminology is intended to form a basis for new morphological descriptions. A total of 47 terms are defined. Each entry consists of a definition, discouraged terms, and a background/comment section.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of our revised neuroanatomical terminology in any new descriptions of the anatomy of invertebrate nervous systems will improve the comparability of this organ system and its substructures between the various taxa, and finally even lead to better and more robust homology hypotheses.