Synopsis Free-swimming planktonic larvae are a key stage in the development of many marine phyla, and studies these organisms have contributed to our understanding major genetic evolutionary processes. Although transitory, often attain remarkable degree tissue complexity, with well-defined musculature nervous systems. Among best studied belonging phylum Echinodermata, but work largely focused o...

Protein extracts of optic cushion tissue from the asteroid Asterias forbesi and arm tissue from the ophiuroid Ophioderma brevispinum were subjected to Western blot analysis. Both tissues contain a membrane-associated protein that reacts with two monoclonal antibodies raised against bovine rhodopsin. This protein migrates slightly behind bovine rhodopsin during sodium-dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylam...

Abstract The main target of this paper is to improve the knowledge species composition sea stars in Patagonian Argentine deep reaching depths 2062 m. In addition, these results offer us opportunity analyze possible connections between Argentinian marine fauna and adjacent Antarctic areas that have become a topic interest past few years. This work based on Atlantic Projects’ surveys carried out ...

Starfish have been instrumental in many fields of biological and ecological research. Oocytes of Astropecten aranciacus, a common species native to the Mediterranean Sea and the East Atlantic, have long been used as an experimental model to study meiotic maturation, fertilization, intracellular Ca2+ signaling, and cell cycle controls. However, investigation of the underlying molecular mechanism...

This study describes temporal and spatial abundance patterns of echinoderm larvae in La Parguera, Puerto Rico. For the temporal study, larvae were sampled by a series of monthly tows taken with a 64 microm mesh net between the new and full moon from April 2005 to July 2006, September 2006 and August 2007. In order to measure spatial variation of echinoderm larval abundances, oblique tows were t...