Specific Features of Mandible Structure and Elemental Composition in the Polyphagous Amphipod Acanthogammarus grewingkii Endemic to Lake Baikal

摘要

BackgroundIn crustaceans, several mechanisms provide for the mechanical strength of the cuticular “tools” (dactyli, claws, jaws), which serve to catch and crush food objects. Studies on the mandibles of the endemic Baikal amphipod Acanthogammarus grewingkii by means of electron microscopy and elemental analysis have revealed specific structural features of these mouthparts.