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Fig. 2 | Frontiers in Zoology

Fig. 2

From: Unity in diversity: a survey of muscular systems of ctenostome Gymnolaemata (Lophotrochozoa, Bryozoa)

Fig. 2

Schematic overview of muscular systems in ctenostome bryozoans. a General outline of a retracted polypide showing the apertural area with the vestibulum followed by the atrium, which is bordered by the tentacle sheath (orange) and harbors the retracted lophophore (blue). The digestive tract (green) has prominent striated muscles in the foregut (pharynx, esophagus), whereas the remaining mid- and hindgut have sparse, smooth muscles. b Detail of the lophophoral base muscles showing the four different sets of muscles present. The inner/frontal muscle ring is shown continuous on the left side and discontinuous on the right (see text for details). Abbreviations: a – anus, al - abfrontal lophophoral base muscle, at – atrium, bd - buccal dilatator, ca – cardia, cae – caecum, cv – cardiac valve, ds – diaphragmatic sphincter, es – esophagus, fl - frontal lophophoral base muscle, int – intestine, lb – lophophoral base, pb – parietovaginal band, pd – parietodiaphragmatic muscle, ph – pharynx, py – pylorus, pv – parietovestibular muscles, t – tentacle, ts – tentacle sheath, v – vestibulum

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