For YOUR JOURNAL, this week, we are expecting the following.
Photographs of external and internal shrimp anatomy.
Movie showing beating heart and if at all possible following one artery away from the heart
until it ends.
Movie of barnacle feeding.
Movie of model crustacean moving. This is an important movie. It will serve as your model
that you use next week for comparative locomotory studies in crustaceans.
If specimens are available, photographs of barnacle larvae and skeletal shrimp external
anatomy. Movies of skeletal shrimp feeding and moving.
Today we will try to begin to build a picture of the “typical” arthropod. In some sense such a
creature does not exist, yet all arthropods do share several features in common.
We will be using as the grass shrimp as our model. This species is relatively large and
transparent, so that most of its organs can be seen using the stereo-scope. You may try
feeding it some fish food. Just use a pinch so water does not become contaminated. For a
side view, try giving it a small rock or piece of vegetation to hang on to. Often you can tilt the
vegetation for a better view of side view of some important organs such as the bill.
External anatomy. Try to identify the different segments of the body, cephalothorax
(carapace), and abdomen. Try to count the number of abdominal segments, legs, and walking
legs. Do they match the number in the picture below which is a diagram of a large commercial
fish cultivating for food. RECORD YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN YOUR JOURNAL
Internal anatomy: Below is a diagram of a female crayfish.
The reproductive organs of the male appear as smaller but similar sac like structures. You will
probably be able to easily distinguish the heart, gills (need sideview), stomach and intestine.
Feed you animal some colored fish food and if it is cooperative, you should be able to trace the
movement of the food down the digestive track. Can you describe how the mouth parts move
while the shrimp is feeding?
Gills are located just below the heart.
Open circulatory system.
Take a short video of the beating heart. Can you trace the flow of hemolymph out of the
heart into the major arteries? RECORD YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN YOUR JOURNAL. Below are
some diagrams to help you.
The first is of a lobster. Crayfish and shrimp are smaller and to not have veins. It is a very
good diagram of the relationship of the gills to the major vessels and heart.
Diagram of heart showing relative placement of ostia in shrimp and crayfish.
You should try
following the
anterior median
artery since it
will not be as
obscured by
other organs as
the dorsal
artery.
You probably will not be able to see ostia in these small shrimp, but check out the movie
below of a dissection in a large crayfish that shows the ostia closing and opening.
http://www2.gsu.edu/~bioasx/heartbeat.html
2. Barnacles We have the purple striped barnacle, Balanus amphitrite and an unidentified
species (probably another species of Balanus). Sometimes keeping these overnight in dishes
in the dark will produce larvae, but don’t spend a lot of time looking for them. Some years
the dishes are full of them, in others we don’t see any. I always order barnacles for this first
lab so you have enough time to watch and film them.
Examine the diagram below of a barnacle. The barnacle feeds with its legs.
a. You are to film and describe feeding in a barnacle.
Obtain a dish of barnacles or if all are in one dish simply gently scoot a barnacle or two into a
smaller container. Make sure the smaller container can hold enough water to cover the
barnacle. While you are waiting for the animal to adjust to its new surroundings, document
any animals that are using the barnacle as habitat. Those students obtaining the dish
containing the larger colony should share their observations with the class. In a large colony,
you should be able to see most of the major groups of animals we have been discussing in
lecture.
(Hint: Patience is the key here to good filming.
Focus and adjust your lighting using the empty container that will house your barnacle. Place
your barnacle under the stereoscope, lights off and wait for it to become adjusted to its new
surroundings. If you barnacle does not feed after it is set and left alone in its new container
for a few minutes, you can try feeding it macro zooplankton or if that does not work
phytoplankton. Simply use a small pipette to obtain some food to add to your dish containing
the barnacle.
b. Types of barnacle larvae. The diagram below shows the Cyprid larvae attaching to the
substrate to assume the sessile lifestyle of the adult.
b. If larvae are produced during the night, they will be visible as small objects darting around
in these dishes. Use a small pipette to obtain some of these if you see them, place in the
smallest dish available, and observe how they move under the stereoscope. Record your
observations, obtaining photographs whenever possible.
3. Check with your instructor if marine Caprellid or skeleton shrimp survived the night. These
are truly spectacular creatures to watch feed and move. a. If so, please obtain a film of their
locomotion and/or feeding behavior. b. You should also be able to obtain photograph of
overall structure to label. If not, we will try to order these again.
.
4. You are to obtain a movie of locomotion in some crustacean. You may use your movie
from last week. However check with your instructor to make sure it is suitable. This movie
will serve as the model to which you will compare locomotion in a variety of crustaceans, so
you want to make sure that you can clearly see how the legs or other appendages are used in
locomotion. There should be a few brine shrimp and some amphipods left. If these did not
survive the night, please ask your instructor for a specimen of Daphnia.