ARCHIVED DATA FOR:

Guralnick, R.P., and K. Smith. 1999 Historical and biomechanical analysis of functional and structural dissociation in the feeding system of molluscs, with special emphasis on the true limpets (Patellogastropoda: Gastropoda). Journal of Morphology 241(2):175-195.

I have so far converted four 3D reconstructions into animated GIFs viewable using Netscape4.0/IE4.0 or higher (click on the images below). Bathyacmaea sp. and Collisella scabra are both Patellogastropoda while the Fissurella volcano is a Vetigastropoda and Nerita polita a Neritimorpha. The Neritimorpha and Vetigastropoda are both more derived gastrood clades.

Still shots from these reconstructions were used as a figure for a paper now submitted. If you find this page and want to use these in any way, I ask you to contact me before doing this. Consider these reconstructions as copyrighted material that you are not free to distribute.

These reconstructions were built by first digitizing histological sections cut in cross sections, between 8-12 microns thick. Once digitized, the sections were registered to one another so that we minimized the change in position of all elements used for registration. This includes a number of morphological characters that are easily recognizable in sections. Once registered, everything besides the subradular membrane, radular membrane and cartilages were removed.

The "inside" of these structures were changed to different colored greys and then projected using nearest point method around the y-axis (except for the polyplacophoran, which is not yet available anyway).

Questions to: Rob Guralnick