A stereoscopic study of the mouthparts of the marine isopod, Cirolana bovina (Isopoda: Flabellifera)

Abstract

The three-dimensional study of the mouthparts of the isopod crustacean Cirolana bovina is carried out for specimens collected from the Mediterranean Sea, Alexandria, Egypt, to reveal their morphology and related cuticular microstructures, especially setal types. The mouthparts consist of a labrum, paragnaths, paired mandibles, maxillules, maxillae and maxillipeds. The labrum and the paragnaths are the least developed but peculiarly the mandibles are asymmetrical, large, stout and highly modified. The possible functions of the mouthparts, especially in feeding are discussed in light of their structure.


KEY WORDS: Crustacea, isopods, SEM, mouthparts, cuticular microstructures.


Egyptian Journal of Biology Vol.3(2) 2001: 20-28