Skip to main content
Figure 5 | BMC Biology

Figure 5

From: Systematic comparison and reconstruction of sea urchin (Echinoidea) internal anatomy: a novel approach using magnetic resonance imaging

Figure 5

3D reconstructions of the gastric caecum of selected irregular sea urchin species. The gastric caecum is a translucent body free of sediment and probably constitutes one of the main sites of digestion [38, 39]. The upper diagrams show an aboral view, the lower diagrams a lateral view with the anterior side (ambulacrum III) oriented towards the right-hand side. Arrows indicate the position of the junction of the gastric caecum with the stomach. (A) Echinoneus cyclostomus, Echinoneoida. (B) Echinolampas depressa, Cassiduloida. Species of this sea urchin taxon presumably all possess a highly reduced gastric caecum consisting of numerous small blindly ending sacs. (C) Pourtalesia wandeli, Holasteroida. (D) Abatus cavernosus, Spatangoida. Scale bar: 0.5 cm.

Back to article page

BMC Biology

ISSN: 1741-7007

Contact us