Summary
The fine structure of the alimentary tract in the second instar nauplius of the brine shrimp, Artemia salina, has been described. The foregut and hindgut of the larva are composed of cuboidal epithelium which is cuticularized. The epithelium of the midgut and gastric caeca is columnar and is characterized by apical microvilli, basal membrane infolds, and abundant mitochondria. The structural characteristics of the midgut cells correlate with previous physiological and biochemical evidence on both adult and larval brine shrimp which indicates that the midgut plays an important role in absorption and osmoregulation in these animals.
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This research supported by United States Atomic Energy Commission Grant RLO 2227 T13.
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Hootman, S.R., Conte, F.P. Fine structure and function of the alimentary epithelium in Artemia salina Nauplii. Cell Tissue Res. 155, 423–436 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00227006
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00227006