biostudies-literatureUnknown17(8)Avian MThe investigation of jellyfish gastrovascular systems mainly focused on stain injections and dissections, negatively affected by thickness and opacity of the mesoglea. Therefore, descriptions are incomplete and data about tridimensional structures are scarce. In this work, morphological and functional anatomy of the gastrovascular system of Rhizostoma pulmo (Macri 1778) was investigated in detail with innovative techniques: resin endocasts and 3D X-ray computed microtomography. The gastrovascular system consists of a series of branching canals ending with numerous openings within the frilled margins of the oral arms. Canals presented a peculiar double hemi-canal structure with a medial adhesion area which separates centrifugal and centripetal flows. The inward flow involves only the "mouthPloS onee0272023https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9352040biostudies-literatureA novel endocast technique providing a 3D quantitative analysis of the gastrovascular system in Rhizostoma pulmo: An unexpected through-gut in cnidaria.PMC9352040Terlizzi APrieto LBonnet DMotta GPillepich NAvian MMancini LDreossi DMacaluso VVoltolini MRamsak AfalseA novel endocast technique providing a 3D quantitative analysis of the gastrovascular system in Rhizostoma pulmo: An unexpected through-gut in cnidaria.The investigation of jellyfish gastrovascular systems mainly focused on stain injections and dissections, negatively affected by thickness and opacity of the mesoglea. Therefore, descriptions are incomplete and data about tridimensional structures are scarce. In this work, morphological and functional anatomy of the gastrovascular system of Rhizostoma pulmo (Macri 1778) was investigated in detail with innovative techniques: resin endocasts and 3D X-ray computed microtomography. The gastrovascular system consists of a series of branching canals ending with numerous openings within the frilled margins of the oral arms. Canals presented a peculiar double hemi-canal structure with a medial adhesion area which separates centrifugal and centripetal flows. The inward flow involves only the "mouth2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222025-04-27T01:09:26.548Z2025-02-19T04:54:14.145ZS-EPMC93520403592589610.1371/journal.pone.0272023