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Figure 6 | Frontiers in Zoology

Figure 6

From: Overcoming the fragility – X-ray computed micro-tomography elucidates brachiopod endoskeletons

Figure 6

Liothyrella neozelanica (Terebratulidae) – ZMB Bra 2255. Ventral valve = top & dorsal valve = bottom. Click here to download a 3D model of L. neozelanica (interactive PDF). A) left: Dorsal valve with Ventral valve in the background; right: Interior of the dorsal valve, with the short looped brachidium (purple), the endoskeleton of the lophophore and spiculation in the dorsal mantle. B) left: Ventral valve; right: Inside of ventral valve with spiculation in the ventral mantle. C) Anterior view (left) and lateral view (right) through transparent shell with ventral valve on top, showing the short looped brachidium (purple) with crural processess (cp) and transverse band (tb), dorsal (sdm) and ventral mantle spiculation (svm). D) Anteroventral view of lophophoral endoskeleton (le) supported by the brachidium with a ventrally arched transverse band (tb), and the axial posteriorly keeled dorsal mantle spiculation (sdm) with star-shaped spicules (max. ~1.3 mm in diameter). E) Posterior view on the brachial loop (purple) with triangular, and anteriorly converging crural processes (cp) and the lophophoral endoskeleton (le) with a plate-shaped structure and transverse projection (arrow). F) Magnification of spicules from the anterior part of the dorsal body wall, showing the starlike nature, sizes range from ~0.5 mm to ~2.5 mm in diameter and max. ~150 μm in thickness.

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