A new species of Lepidodasys (Gastrotricha, Macrodasyida) from Panama with a description of its peptidergic nervous system using CLSM, anti-FMRFamide and anti-SCPB

A new species of Lepidodasys (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida: Lepidodasyidae) is described from sublittoral sediments in the ocas del Toro archipelago in Panama and represents the first species of Lepidodasyidae described from the Caribbean. The new pecies possesses keeled scales that form a crossed-helical pattern across its dorsal and lateral surfaces and ventral scales that form herringbone pattern between and lateral to the ciliary columns. A bilateral pair of three ventral adhesive tubes at the posterior nd further differentiates this new species from its seven congeners. A confocal laser scanning microscope examination of the ervous system using antibodies to small cardioactive peptide B (SCPB) and FMRFamides reveals a dumbbell-shape cerebral anglion, paired pharyngeal neurites and paired posterior nerve cords. Expression patterns of immunoreactivity to both classes f neuropeptides show a high degree of similarity. Only within the lateral somata of the cerebral ganglion and a single median haryngeal neurite is there a difference in immunoreactivity to FMRFamide (positive) compared to SCP (negative). Results B rom this investigation reveal that neuropeptides, among other neuronal markers, might provide phylogenetically informative haracters in macrodasyidan gastrotrichs, especially regarding the topology of the cerebral ganglion. 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.