Ref ID : 5864
O. Giere, H. Felbeck, R. Dawson, and G. Liebezeit; The gutless oligochaete Phallodrilus leukodermatus Giere, a tubificid of structural, ecological and physiological relevance. Hydrobiologia 115:83-89, 1984
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Phallodrilus leukodermatus is not only characterized by the complete absence of mouth, gut, anus and nephridia, but also by an exceptional dermal ultrastructure which is associated with gram-negative bacteria. The vertical distribution of the worms from Bermudian carbonate sands is also unusual in attaining population maximum at oligoxic or anoxic depths around the redox discontinuity (RPD) layer, where extremely high concentrations of amino acids and sugars are to be recorded. Based on results from current ecophysiological and ultrastructural studies, an interpretation of the unique biology of the worms is attempted.