Mechanical properties, degree of sclerotisation and elemental composition of the gastric mill in the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Decapoda, Crustacea).

ABSTRACT: The gastric mill of Decapoda is a unique feature, which comprises teeth, stabilizing ossicles, and particle sorting setae. Involved in the fragmentation and sorting of the food, this structure serves as interface between the organism and its environment. As material properties complement morphology and hold information about function and trophic preferences, we here provide a basis for more comparative research on gastric mills. For gastric mill components of the adult red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii, we studied (a) the micro-structure via scanning electron microscopy, (b) the elemental composition by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, (c) the heterogeneities in material properties and degree of tanning (autofluorescence) by confocal laser scanning microscopy, and (d) the mechani

SUBMITTER: Krings W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9588795 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature