Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Clark EG
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5746540 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Clark Elizabeth G EG Bhullar Bhart-Anjan S BS Darroch Simon A F SAF Briggs Derek E G DEG
Biology letters 20171201 12
Understanding the water vascular system (WVS) in early fossil echinoderms is critical to elucidating the evolution of this system in extant forms. Here we present the first report of the internal morphology of the water vascular system of a stem ophiuroid. The radial canals are internal to the arm, but protected dorsally by a plate separate to the ambulacrals. The canals zig-zag with no evidence of constrictions, corresponding to sphincters, which control pairs of tube feet in extant ophiuroids. ...[more]