A comparison of some environmental adaptations of the littoral collembolans Anuridella marina (Willem) and Anurida maritima (Guérin)
King, P.E.; Pugh, P.J.A.; Fordy, M.R.; Love, N.; Wheeler, S.A. (1990). A comparison of some environmental adaptations of the littoral collembolans Anuridella marina (Willem) and Anurida maritima (Guérin). J. Nat. Hist. 24(3): 673-688. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222939000770461
In: Journal of Natural History. Taylor & Francis: London. ISSN 0022-2933; e-ISSN 1464-5262, more
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| Keywords |
Anurida maritima (Guérin-Méneville, 1836) [WoRMS]; Anuridella marina Willem, 1906 [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- King, P.E.
- Pugh, P.J.A.
- Fordy, M.R.
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| Abstract |
Cuticle structures of A. marina and A. martima are discussed, the differences are correlated with a greater tolerance of desiccation in A. maritima. The cuticle ornamentation of A. maritima can trap a layer of water-saturated air thus slowing down water loss and allowing it to forage in the drier upper littoral, while A. marina, without a layer of water saturated air, is confined to more humid habitats in the lower littoral. Both species have a compressible macroplastron supported by major tubercles, as well as a much thinner microplastron supported by minor tubercles which is more resistant to wetting by pressure and surfactants. The plastrons are shown to be preadaptations to the littoral zone. |
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