An ultrastructural investigation of the striated subumbrellar musculature of the anthomedusan, Pennaria tiarella

Abstract

The presence of striated subumbrellar musculature in hydromedusae can be related to the development in hydrozoans of a free-swimming life stage. The detailed ultrastructure of the striated subumbrellar musculature of the anthomedusan, Pennaria tiarella is presented. The striated musculature of Pennaria resembles vertebrate striated muscle in filament arrangement (L2 lattice pattern) and M line structure. The striation pattern, out-of-register myofilaments, filament structure as determined by rotational symmetry, Z line structure, types of intercellular junctions, and sarcoplasmic reticulum are more similar to structures found in other invertebrate striated muscle.