AI Article Synopsis
- Rützler & Muzik, 1993 is a sponge species known for competing with and harming coral, but its biology, especially its physical traits, is not well studied.
- The research focuses on how spicules, the structural elements of the sponge, are arranged and developed, with findings showing they first appear a day after larval settlement and are fully present by day five.
- The orientation of the spicules aids in supporting sponge growth, with different arrangements in the growth area and surface layer, facilitating the sponge's ability to encrust and colonize coral surfaces.
Article Abstract
Rützler & Muzik, 1993 is a poriferan species that competes with corals and is known as a coral-killing sponge. However, limited information is available on its biology, including morphological traits. This study aims to examine the arrangement and development of spicules in various body parts of the sponge, including settled larvae. Spicules were found to appear on the second day after settlement and were present in all individuals on the fifth day. The spicules in the thread-like tissue of the growth portion were oriented in the direction of growth, with their pointed tips facing forward to support the elongated pioneer tissue. Furthermore, the spicules in the surface layer of the sponge tissue were perpendicular, with outward-facing tips associated with collagens. The study indicates that the spicules of are arranged to support both encrusting basal tissue and pioneering tissue to colonize corals.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11659815 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.6620/ZS.2024.63-26 | DOI Listing |
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