Cristatella

Cristatella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Bryozoa
Class: Phylactolaemata
Order: Plumatellida
Family: Cristatellidae
Allman, 1856
Genus: Cristatella
Cuvier, 1798
Species:
C. mucedo
Binomial name
Cristatella mucedo
Cuvier, 1798

Cristatella mucedo is a bryozoan in the family Cristatellidae, and the only species of the genus Cristatella.[1][2] They are noted for their elongated shape and colorless, transparent bodies.[3]

Distribution

The species can be found in north-eastern North America (Canada,[4] and United States), Northern Europe, including United Kingdom, Lithuania,[3] Norway, Finland, and the Netherlands from sea level to 1,116 metres (3,661 ft) asl.[5]

Habitat and ecology

The species prefers cold climate waters. They live in statoblastic colonies[6] that can range from 5 to 10 centimeters.[3] The habitat is either lotic or lentic,[7] including man-made water bodies such as gravel pits.

Populations in Europe are genetically relatively homogeneous, perhaps reflecting postglacial colonization representing a single lineage. In contrast, North American populations are highly diverse. There is some evidence of two different major lineages, perhaps representing cryptic species or subspecies, with hybridization that have boosted genetic diversity.[8] Some colonies have shown capabilities in sexual reproduction in brief instances.[7]

Cristatella mucedo creeping over a stem of water weed; a) polypides with horseshoe-shaped crown of tentacles b) statoblasts seen through the tissues c) muscular sole by means of which the animal creeps d) stem of water weed

References

  1. ^ Cristatella mucedo
  2. ^ Bock, P. (2015). Bock P (ed.). "Cristatella Cuvier, 1798". World list of Bryozoa. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Šatkauskienė, Ingrida; Wood, Timothy; Rutkauskaitė-Sucilienė, Jurgita; Mildažienė, Vida; Tučkutė, Simona (2018-12-07). "Freshwater bryozoans of Lithuania (Bryozoa)". ZooKeys (774): 53–75. Bibcode:2018ZooK..774...53S. doi:10.3897/zookeys.774.21769. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 6053470. PMID 30034263.
  4. ^ "Species list of Albertas bryozoans on Aquatic Invertebrates of Alberta". Archived from the original on 2014-06-07. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  5. ^ Økland, Karen Anna & Økland, Jan (2000). "Freshwater bryozoans (Bryozoa) of Norway: Distribution and ecology of Cristatella mucedo and Paludicella articulata". Hydrobiologia. 421 (1): 1–24. doi:10.1023/A:1003917200848. S2CID 39721563.
  6. ^ Michiel van der Waaij (July 2009). "Freshwater bryozoans or moss animals". Micscape. Microscopy UK. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
  7. ^ a b Uotila, Laura & Jokela, Jukka (1995). "Variation in reproductive characteristics of colonies of the freshwater bryozoan Cristatella mucedo". Freshwater Biology. 34 (3): 513–522. Bibcode:1995FrBio..34..513U. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.1995.tb00909.x.
  8. ^ Freeland, Joanna R.; Romualdi, Chiara & Okamura, Beth (2000). "Gene flow and genetic diversity: a comparison of freshwater bryozoan populations in Europe and North America". Heredity. 85 (5): 498–508. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2540.2000.00780.x. PMID 11122429.


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