Chapter 15, Problem 1RQ

Where would you look if you had to find a cycliophoran?

Summary Introduction

To determine: The criteria to look for in order to find a cycliophoran.

Introduction: In crustaceans such as crayfish, a saclike organ called statocysts occurs that opens to the surface by a dorsal pore and is present on the basal segment of the first antennae. This organ is a balancing organ that contains a ridge bearing sensory setae that are formed from the chitin lining of the sac.

Explanation of Solution

The cycliophoran are the organisms that have been recently discovered and have a very peculiar habitat. The cycliophorans dwell on the mouthparts of the marine decapods crustaceans in the Northern hemisphere and therefore, can be precisely found. They attach to the bristles on the mouthparts with an adhesive disc on the end of the acellular stalk. The feeding habit of these organisms is that they collect bacteria or bits of food that are dropped from their lobster host, on a ring of compound cilia that are present around the mouth.