Fine structure of agglutinated tubes of polychaetes of the family Terebellidae (Annelida)

Shcherbakova, T.; Tzetlin, Alexander B.

doi:10.1134/s0012496616010063

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In agreement with Shcherbakova and Tzetlin (), we remark that tube wall organization may be important for taxonomy at high taxonomic (family) rank and useful for the identification of present‐day dead and fossil representatives.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

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Sabellaria alveolata sandcastle worm from the Mediterranean Sea: new insights on tube architecture and biocement

Sanfilippo

Rosso

Mastandrea

et al. 2019

Journal of Morphology

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The Atlantic-Mediterranean polychaete Sabellaria alveolata lives in agglutinated tubes adjoined to each other to form discrete reef-like bioconstructions in shallow-water settings characterised by high hydrodynamic energy where sediment particles are constantly resuspended. Tubes are built with sand grains glued by proteinaceous secretions. Analyses of a reef fragment collected near Sampieri (SE Sicily, Sicily Strait) allowed the first detailed description of the tube architecture and biocement of this worms from the Mediterranean. The tube consists of an inner thin organic membrane and three agglutinated layers including: (a) a thin inner layer of flat grains arranged side by side; (b) a thick mid layer with a frame of relatively large sub-rounded grains with cavities partly filled by small grains; and (c) a thin outer layer of large, flat to curved, usually biogenic clasts diverging towards the opening. This particular architecture is distinctive of the family. Morphological and epifluorescence observations revealed that biocement consists of drops at the contact between sub-spherical grains and strips along edges of flat grains. Biocement is a solid foam-like material characterised by high abundance of carbon; the presence of phosphorous and nitrogen confirms its proteinaceous composition. Due to the electrostatic interaction with the proteins, calcium and magnesium are most likely complexed to the cement rather than being trapped in the cells. These elements contribute to the solidification of the glue and stabilisation of the tube structure. However, the organic nature of cement and the high energy of their habitat, make sabellariid reefs dynamic and ephemeral, and the preservation as fossils unlikely, with a confident record only extending back to the Miocene.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…The complex three‐layered sabellariid tube architecture clearly differs from that of other agglutinating polychaetes. Indeed, tubes of pectinariids and terebellids revealed a simpler architecture, always consisting of only one layer, although with distinctive thickness and grain arrangement (Merz, ; Shcherbakova & Tzetlin, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sabellaria alveolata sandcastle worm from the Mediterranean Sea: new insights on tube architecture and biocement

Sanfilippo

Rosso

Mastandrea

et al. 2019

Journal of Morphology

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“…Other polychaetes make agglutinated tubes from sand grains and other particles cemented with specific secretions from epithelial glands, or line the walls of their burrows with layers of secretion (Defretin, 1971). In agglutinated tubes, besides the layer containing exogenous materials there is an inner sheath (Merz, 2015; Shcherbakova & Tzetlin, 2016), deposited as overlapping layers or series of fibres, the orientation of which changes from one layer to the next. Such a plywood- or fabric-like structure helps explain the robustness of polychaete tubes (Merz, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We have studied the fine structure of the tubes of three species of Terebellidae (Shcherbakova & Tzetlin, 2016). In these tubes, the agglutinated layer consists of sand grains either wrapped in organic films forming cells ( Pista elongata , P. flexuosa ) or submerged into amorphous organic cement ( Amphitrite figulus ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We examined the fine structure of tubes in several genera and species of Maldanidae. The following structural components of the tubes are recognized (terminology after Shcherbakova & Tzetlin, 2016): (1) inner sheath (inner cylinder); (2) agglutinated layer consisting of sediment particles bound with cement, i.e. organic material secreted from specialized glands and becoming fibrous, filmy or foamy when consolidated; (3) outer layer (outer organic layer) present in some genera.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fine structure of the tubes of Maldanidae (Annelida)

et al. 2017

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Many marine annelids are active tube builders. Several polychaete families make agglutinated tubes by fixing sediment particles with specific secretions from their epithelial glands. The fine structure of the tubes of six species of Maldanidae from five genera (Nicomache minor, N. lumbricalis, Maldane sarsi, Praxillella praetermissa, Axiothella catenata, Rhodine gracilior) was examined by scanning electron microscopy. These species exhibit different lifestyles. Nicomache minor and N. lumbricalis inhabit massive hard tubes attached to stones. Other species live in the sediment, Rhodine in rigid organic tubes, Praxillella, Axiothella and Maldane in sand or mud tubes. All the examined maldanid tubes have a similar basic structure. The inner sheath of the tubes is made of a hardened organic lining secreted by the worm. Fibres from the inner sheath fasten sediment particles of the agglutinated layer. In Nicomache the tube surface is covered with a fibrous outer layer. All tube layers contain variously arranged organic fibres, which form a 3D network in the agglutinated layer and fabric-like linings in the inner sheath and outer layer. The tubes of Maldanidae may be important for taxonomy, and useful for identification of fossils.

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Architecture and tube structure of Sabellaria spinulosa (Leuckart, 1849): Comparison with the Mediterranean S. alveolata congener

Sanfilippo

Rosso

Viola

et al. 2022

Journal of Morphology

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The Atlantic-Mediterranean polychaete Sabellaria spinulosa (Leuckart, 1849) lives in agglutinated tubes forming discrete reef-like bioconstructions on shallow-water bottoms beaten by waves where sediment particles are constantly resuspended.Tubes are built with sand grains glued by a proteinaceous cement. Analyses of a S. spinulosa reef sample of this worm collected off the Casarza coast (central Adriatic Sea) allowed the description of its tube architecture and gluing modality. The tube consists of three layers of agglutinated sand: (a) a thin inner layer with sandy particles arranged side by side with a flat side facing the tube lumen (b) a thick middle layer with larger isodiametric and squat grains with empty pores in between; and (c) a thin discontinuous outer layer of heterometric clasts, prevalently large and flat, diverging towards the opening. This fits the general tube construction known for S. alveolata and in general for tubes of the sabellariidae family, but compared to Sabellaria alveolata, S. spinulosa possesses a smaller tube with a wall about 1/3 thick; the agglutinated sandy elements are finer, and some number of muddy particles participates in the tube construction. Morphological and epifluorescence observations revealed that biocement portions are irregularly and haphazardly distributed compared with those of S. alveolata that consist of drops and strips of glue carefully placed. Adjacent tubes leave empty interspaces in between them only locally filled by loose sand, extremely reduced to absent in S. alveolata.

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Fine structure of agglutinated tubes of polychaetes of the family Terebellidae (Annelida)

Abstract: The results of the first study on the fine structure of agglutinated tubes of the family Terebellidae are presented.

Cited by 7 publications

References 9 publications

Sabellaria alveolata sandcastle worm from the Mediterranean Sea: new insights on tube architecture and biocement

Sabellaria alveolata sandcastle worm from the Mediterranean Sea: new insights on tube architecture and biocement

Fine structure of the tubes of Maldanidae (Annelida)

Architecture and tube structure of Sabellaria spinulosa (Leuckart, 1849): Comparison with the Mediterranean S. alveolata congener

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