Particle capture in ciliary filter‐feeding gymnolaemate and phylactolaemate bryozoans – a comparative study

Riisgård, H.U., Okamura, B. and Funch, P. 2009. Particle capture in ciliary filter‐feeding gymnolaemate and phylactolaemate bryozoans – a comparative study. —Acta Zoologica(Stockholm)91: 416–425. We studied particle capture using video‐microscopy in two gymnolaemates, the marine cheilostomeElectra pilosaand the freshwater ctenostomePaludicella articulata,and three phylactolaemates,Fredericella sultanawith a circular funnel‐shaped lophophore, andCristatella mucedoandLophophus crystallinus, both with a horseshoe‐shaped lophophore. The video‐microscope observations along with studies of lophophore morphology and ultrastructure indicated that phylactolaemate and gymnolaemate bryozoans with a diversity of lophophore shapes rely on the same basic structures and mechanisms for particle capture. Our study also demonstrates that essential features of the particle capture process resemble one another in bryozoans, brachiopods and phoronids.