Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach

Abstract Background In zoology, species descriptions conventionally rely on invasive morphological techniques, frequently leading to damage of the specimens and thus only a partial understanding of their structural complexity. More recently, non-destructive imaging techniques have successfully been...

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Main Authors: Alexander Ziegler, Christina Sagorny
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-04-01
Series:BMC Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-021-01000-9
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spelling doaj-c763e83357a747e28afe46779439e0e72021-04-25T11:31:36ZengBMCBMC Biology1741-70072021-04-0119111410.1186/s12915-021-01000-9Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approachAlexander Ziegler0Christina Sagorny1Institut für Evolutionsbiologie und Ökologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-UniversitätInstitut für Evolutionsbiologie und Ökologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-UniversitätAbstract Background In zoology, species descriptions conventionally rely on invasive morphological techniques, frequently leading to damage of the specimens and thus only a partial understanding of their structural complexity. More recently, non-destructive imaging techniques have successfully been used to describe smaller fauna, but this approach has so far not been applied to identify or describe larger animal species. Here, we present a combination of entirely non-invasive as well as minimally invasive methods that permit taxonomic descriptions of large zoological specimens in a more comprehensive manner. Results Using the single available representative of an allegedly novel species of deep-sea cephalopod (Mollusca: Cephalopoda), digital photography, standardized external measurements, high-field magnetic resonance imaging, micro-computed tomography, and DNA barcoding were combined to gather all morphological and molecular characters relevant for a full species description. The results show that this specimen belongs to the cirrate octopod (Octopoda: Cirrata) genus Grimpoteuthis Robson, 1932. Based on the number of suckers, position of web nodules, cirrus length, presence of a radula, and various shell characters, the specimen is designated as the holotype of a new species of dumbo octopus, G. imperator sp. nov. The digital nature of the acquired data permits a seamless online deposition of raw as well as derived morphological and molecular datasets in publicly accessible repositories. Conclusions Using high-resolution, non-invasive imaging systems intended for the analysis of larger biological objects, all external as well as internal morphological character states relevant for the identification of a new megafaunal species were obtained. Potentially harmful effects on this unique deep-sea cephalopod specimen were avoided by scanning the fixed animal without admixture of a contrast agent. Additional support for the taxonomic placement of the new dumbo octopus species was obtained through DNA barcoding, further underlining the importance of combining morphological and molecular datasets for a holistic description of zoological specimens.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-021-01000-9Magnetic resonance imagingMicro-computed tomographyThree-dimensionalModellingTaxonomyCephalopod
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Alexander Ziegler
Christina Sagorny
spellingShingle Alexander Ziegler
Christina Sagorny
Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach
BMC Biology
Magnetic resonance imaging
Micro-computed tomography
Three-dimensional
Modelling
Taxonomy
Cephalopod
author_facet Alexander Ziegler
Christina Sagorny
author_sort Alexander Ziegler
title Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach
title_short Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach
title_full Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach
title_fullStr Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach
title_full_unstemmed Holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (Cephalopoda: Cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach
title_sort holistic description of new deep sea megafauna (cephalopoda: cirrata) using a minimally invasive approach
publisher BMC
series BMC Biology
issn 1741-7007
publishDate 2021-04-01
description Abstract Background In zoology, species descriptions conventionally rely on invasive morphological techniques, frequently leading to damage of the specimens and thus only a partial understanding of their structural complexity. More recently, non-destructive imaging techniques have successfully been used to describe smaller fauna, but this approach has so far not been applied to identify or describe larger animal species. Here, we present a combination of entirely non-invasive as well as minimally invasive methods that permit taxonomic descriptions of large zoological specimens in a more comprehensive manner. Results Using the single available representative of an allegedly novel species of deep-sea cephalopod (Mollusca: Cephalopoda), digital photography, standardized external measurements, high-field magnetic resonance imaging, micro-computed tomography, and DNA barcoding were combined to gather all morphological and molecular characters relevant for a full species description. The results show that this specimen belongs to the cirrate octopod (Octopoda: Cirrata) genus Grimpoteuthis Robson, 1932. Based on the number of suckers, position of web nodules, cirrus length, presence of a radula, and various shell characters, the specimen is designated as the holotype of a new species of dumbo octopus, G. imperator sp. nov. The digital nature of the acquired data permits a seamless online deposition of raw as well as derived morphological and molecular datasets in publicly accessible repositories. Conclusions Using high-resolution, non-invasive imaging systems intended for the analysis of larger biological objects, all external as well as internal morphological character states relevant for the identification of a new megafaunal species were obtained. Potentially harmful effects on this unique deep-sea cephalopod specimen were avoided by scanning the fixed animal without admixture of a contrast agent. Additional support for the taxonomic placement of the new dumbo octopus species was obtained through DNA barcoding, further underlining the importance of combining morphological and molecular datasets for a holistic description of zoological specimens.
topic Magnetic resonance imaging
Micro-computed tomography
Three-dimensional
Modelling
Taxonomy
Cephalopod
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-021-01000-9
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