The Middle Cambrian lophotrochozoans Odontogriphus omalus and Wiwaxia corrugata have been interpreted as stem-group members of either the Mollusca, the Annelida, or a group containing Mollusca + Annelida. The case for each classification rests on the organisms' unusual mouthparts, whose two to three tooth-rows resemble both the molluscan radula and the jaws of certain annelid worms. Despite the...

The evolution of species-specific fertilization in free-spawning marine invertebrates is important for reproductive isolation and may contribute to speciation. The biochemistry and evolution of proteins mediating species-specific fertilization have been extensively studied in the abalone (genus Haliotis). The nonenzymatic sperm protein lysin creates a hole in the egg vitelline envelope by speci...

A closely related group of alphaproteobacteria were found to be present in seven genera of marine sponges from several locations and were shown to be transferred between sponge generations through the larvae in one of these sponges. Isolates of the alphaproteobacterium were cultured from the sponges Axinella corrugata, Mycale laxissima, Monanchora unguifera, and Niphates digitalis from Key Larg...

Based on a detailed study conducted to isolate microbes from soil samples collected from various tea gardens located in the Indian Himalayan region, two bacteria namely Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas corrugata have been selected as promising inoculants for field application in tea gardens. Bioassays based on the inoculation of seed raised and tissue culture raised tea plants had earlier indi...

The chromosomal changes accompanying bivalve evolution are an area about which few reports have been published. To improve our understanding on chromosome evolution in Veneridae, ribosomal RNA gene clusters were mapped by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to chromosomes of five species of venerid clams (Venerupis corrugata, Ruditapes philippinarum, Ruditapes decussatus, Dosinia exoleta, ...