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Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access originally published online on December 18, 2007
Journal of Molluscan Studies 2008 74(1):19-26; doi:10.1093/mollus/eym044
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

Embryonic shell formation in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata: a comparison between scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and synchrotron radiation micro computer tomography (SRµCT)

Julia C. Marxen1,, Oleg Prymak2, Felix Beckmann3, Frank Neues2 and Matthias Epple2

1University of Hamburg, Biocenter Grindel, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; 2University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Universitaetsstrasse 5-7, 45117 Essen, Germany; and 3GKSS Forschungszentrum Geesthacht, Institut für Materialforschung, c/o GKSS am DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany

Correspondence: J.C. Marxen; e-mail: Marxen{at}zoologie.uni-hamburg.de


  Abstract

Embryos of different developmental stages and newly hatched juveniles of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata were investigated by synchrotron radiation micro computer tomography (SRµCT). Because this method is sensitive for objects with a high X-ray density, it is ideally suited to study mineralized tissues without the need for dissection of the sample, i.e. removal of the soft tissue. This is a clear advantage over scanning electron microscopy (SEM). However, the resolution is inferior to SEM (about 1–2 µm compared to a few nm). After the measurement, computer-processed handling (virtual turning, cutting and measuring) of the object is possible. The development of the calcified shell in embryos before hatching (age 60, 72, 96 and 120 h after oviposition) was investigated and both methods were compared. While it was not possible to find a calcified shell in 60 h old embryos, the shell in 72 h old embryos was almost fully mineralized. By SRµCT, the weight of the calcified shell was estimated to 0.64, 9.59 and 30.3 µg for embryos of 72, 96 and 120 h. All juvenile snails, of 5 days and 4 weeks after hatching, contained concretions in the stomach, mostly consisting of calcium phosphate.

(Received 10 May 2007; accepted 20 September 2007)


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