New Myzostomids (Annelida) in Symbiosis with Feather Stars in the Shallow Waters of the South China Sea (Hainan Island).

This research delves into the molecular and morphological characteristics of myzostomid worms associated with common shallow-water feather stars (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulidae) in the coastal waters near Sanya, Hainan Island. Through the examination of specimens collected at depths of up to 10 m using scuba diving techniques, we describe three new species ( sp. nov.

From Microscale Interactions to Macroscale Patterns in Copepod-Crinoid Symbiosis.

Crinoids (Echinodermata) exhibit unique morphological and behavioral characteristics that facilitate a wide range of symbiotic relationships with diverse organisms. Our comprehension of their interactions with microscopic copepod crustaceans is, however, still in a nascent and fragmented state. Here, we review and discuss the 166 literature records to date in which a total of 39 copepod species in 6 families have been reported in association with 33 species of the crinoid order Comatulida.

Investigation on Purification of Saturated LiNO Solution Using Titanium Phosphate Ion Exchanger: Kinetics Study.

Lithium compounds are of high interest to many industries. The presence of undesirable impurities in Li precursors leads to uncontrolled change in the functional properties of final compounds. Therefore, the development of reliable methods for lithium salt purification is considered a key factor for their application in various industries.

Arrested in Glass: Actin within Sophisticated Architectures of Biosilica in Sponges.

Actin is a fundamental member of an ancient superfamily of structural intracellular proteins and plays a crucial role in cytoskeleton dynamics, ciliogenesis, phagocytosis, and force generation in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. It is shown that actin has another function in metazoans: patterning biosilica deposition, a role that has spanned over 500 million years. Species of glass sponges (Hexactinellida) and demosponges (Demospongiae), representatives of the first metazoans, with a broad diversity of skeletal structures with hierarchical architecture unchanged since the late Precambrian, are studied.

What is the difference between marine and limnetic-terrestrial associations of nematodes with invertebrates?

Zoo- and phyto-parasitic nematodes of the order Rhabditida and zooparasites of the subclass Dorylaimia are well known, due largely to their medical, veterinarian and agricultural significance. However, there have been many switches from a free-living to a symbiotic (including parasitism) mode of existence in the evolutionary trajectories of various nematode clades. Here, we attempt to summarize all known cases of symbioses (from commensalism to true parasitism) between marine nematodes representing nonparasitic taxa and various larger animals, ranging from protists to vertebrates.