Mesodermal metamerism in the teleost, Oryzias latipes (the medaka)

Previous studies of the metameric pattern in mesodermal tissues of chick, mouse, turtle, and amphibian embryos have indicated that segmental characteristics exist along the entire length of the embryo. This paper describes this phenomenon in a fish embryo, for some differences in the cranial segmental plan exist between the anamniote and the amniote embryos hitherto studied. Embryos of the cyprinodont, Oryzias latipes, were fixed at various times, the examined by means of stereo scanning electron microscopy. As in other vertebrate embryos, the first indication of mesodermal metamerism in this fish embryo is the occurrence of somitomeres, which are orderly, tandemly arranged units of uncondensed mesenchymal cells in the paraxial mesoderm. As many as ten somitomeres can be observed caudal to the last formed somite to the elongating tail region. In addition, 7 somitomeres are present rostral to the first definitive somite, which is segment number eight. As in other vertebrate embryos examined, somitomeres in Oryzias embryos are circular, bilaminar arrays of paraxial mesoderm that form before any indications of segmentation can be seen with the light microscope. In the trunk region these mesodermal units condense to give rise to definitive somites, but in the head they eventually disperse. Despite a fundamentally different mode of gastrulation and a relatively small number of cells in the newly formed somitomeres, cranial segmentation in Oryzias embryos was found to be more similar in number to the metameric pattern of the embryos of the bird, reptile, and mammal than to the situation found in the two amphibians studied thus far.     

Region-specific defects in l(1)giant embryos of Drosophila melanogaster

Lack of zygotic expression of the l(1)giant locus (l(1)gt;3A1), produces embryos with defects in abdominal A5, 6, and 7 and within the head. Scanning electron microscopy at the time of segment formation reveals two regions of defects in the segmentation pattern: anteriorly the labial lobe and thoracic segments T1 and T2 are fused; posteriorly, abdominal segments A5-7 are disrupted. The mature embryo shows incomplete head involution and defects within A5-7; fusion of T1 and T2 is no longer observed. Localized cell death within neural and mesodermal tissues is observed at 7 hr of development; later ventral ganglia, A5-7, are missing. Double-mutant analyses of l(1)gt with maternal effect lethal mutations and mutations that generate homeotic, segment number, gap, or segment polarity phenotypes indicate that normal activity of l(1)gt is required for differentiation of two embryonic domains: one corresponding to labial, T1 and T2 segments, and the second corresponding to abdominal segments 5, 6, and 7.     

Metameric Pattern Development in the Embryonic Axis of the Mouse I

The overall pattern of the mesoderm in the embryonic axis of the cranial region of mouse embryos was examined with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). A segmental organization was observed first in the paraxial mesodermal wings and midline axis of embryos at the late primitive streak stage. Each segmental unit consists of a somitomere in the paraxial region on each side of an enclosed stretch of midline notochord. Somitomeres appear initially as circular domains of radially arranged cells that swirl about the core center of the unit and are quite similar morphologically to those described recently in chick embryos [12]. Lying in tandem sequence, the segments comprise the chordamesoderm that underlies the neural plate. As additional pairs of somitomeres are added from the primitive streak at the caudal end of the axis, those established in the cranial region remain contiguous and undergo morphogenesis that is coordinate with neurulation. We divide the development of the cranial axis into five phases and associate somitomeres in the mesoderm with neuromeric segmentation in the neural plate. It was found that the first pair of somitomeres comes to underlie the prosencephalon, the second and third pairs underlie the mesencephalon, while the fifth, sixth, and seventh pairs of somitomeres underlie neuromeres of the metencephalon. The eighth pair of somitomeres are the first to separate themselves from the first seven and form the first pair of somites visible at the light microscope level. This study suggests that the cranial axis of the mouse embryo is initially organized into segments like the rest of the body and that subsequent cranial morphology is a consequence of differential development of these segments.     

Scanning electron microscopy of Drosophila melanogaster embryogenesis. II. Gastrulation and segmentation.

The sequence of gastrulation events in Drosophila melanogaster, starting with the cellular blastoderm and culminating in a segmented embryo, have been studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Extensive use is made of dissected embryos to illustrate changes taking place within the embryo during gastrulation. During the first 15 min of gastrulation, the mesodermal portion of the germ band is established by the invagination of approximately 1000 cells through the ventral furrow. The primordia for the proctodeum and hindgut are shown to form during early gastrulation. Detailed examination of the surfaces of invaginating primordia shows similarities to other systems and suggests possible underlying mechanisms. Germ band elongation and the formation of the amnioserosa are described. At the time of segmentation, three pairs of rudimentary cephalic appendages develop posterior to the cephalic furrow. Tracheal pits invaginate on all eight abdominal segments and on the second and third thoracic segments. Modifications of the embryonic fate map are discussed.     

Morphogenesis of the cranial segments and distribution of neural crest in the embryos of the snapping turtle,Chelydra serpentina

Recent studies of the heads of vertebrates have shown a primitive pattern of segmentation in the mesoderm and neural plate not previously recognized. The role of this pattern in the subsequent distribution of cranial crest and the development of branchial arches and cranial nerves, may resolve century-old arguments about the evolution of vertebrate segmentation. In this study, we examine the early embryonic development of the cranium of a primitive amniote, the snapping turtle, with the SEM. We show that the paraxial mesoderm cranial to the first-formed somites is segmented and that this pattern is based on somitomeres, similar to those described in the embryos of chick and mouse. Seven contiguous pairs of somitomeres comprise the “head mesoderm”; the first pair of somites actually arise from the eighth pair of somitomeres added to the axis. Cranial somitomeres are associated with specific brain regions, in that the first pair lie adjacent to prosencephalon, the second and third pair are adjacent to the mesencephalon, and the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh pair of somitomeres lie adjacent to individual neuromeres of the rhombencephalon. Prior to the closure of the anterior neuropore, cranial neural crest cells first emerge from the mesencephalon and migrate onto the second and third somitomeres. Shortly thereafter, neural crest cells emerge at more caudal levels of the rhombencephalon, beginning at the juncture of the fifth and sixth somitomeres. Eventually, neural crest originating from the mesencephalon spreads caudally as far as the fourth somitomere, leaving a gap in crest emigration adjacent to the fifth somitomere. The otic placode develops from the surface ectoderm covering the sixth and seventh somitomeres, and the adjacent rhombencephalic neural crest moves around the cranial and caudal edge of the placode. At more caudal levels, rhombencephalic crest cells merge with cervical crest populations to form a continuous sheet over the somites. By the time the anterior neuropore closes, some of the mesencephalic crest cells return from the paraxial mesoderm to spread onto the rostral wall of the optic vesicle and future telencephalon. The segmentation of the mesoderm and patterned distribution of cranial neural crest seen in snapping turtle embryos, further strengthens the argument that the heads of amniotes are derived from a common metameric pattern established early during gastrulation.     

Lineage analysis of transplanted individual cells in embryos of Drosophila melanogaster

Summary We describe the results of cell transplantation experiments performed to investigate mesodermal lineages in Drosophila melanogaster, particularly the lineages of the somatic muscles, the visceral muscles and the fat body. Cells to be transplanted were labelled by injecting a mixture of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and fluorescein-dextran (FITC) in wild-type embryos at the syncytial blastoderm stage. For transplantation cells were removed from the ventral furrow, 8–12 min after the start of gastrulation, and individually transplanted into homotopic or heterotopic locations of unlabelled wild-type hosts of the same age. HRP labelling in the resulting cell clones was demonstrated histochemically in the fully developed embryo; histotypes could be distinguished without ambiguity. Mesodermal cells were already found to be committed to mesodermal fates at the time of transplantation. They developed only into mesodermal derivatives and did not integrate in non-mesodermal organs upon heterotopical transplantation. No evidence was found for commitment to any particular mesodermal organ at the time of transplantation. The majority of somatic muscle clones contributed cells to only one segment. However, clones were not infrequently distributed through two or even three segments. Clones of fat body cells were generally restricted to a small region. However, cells of clones of visceral musculature were widely distributed. With respect to the proliferative abilities of transplanted cells the clones were difficult to interpret due to the syncytial character of the somatic musculature and the fact that the organization of the other organs is poorly understood. Evidence from histological observations of developing normal embryos indicates only three mitoses for mesodermal cells. Clones larger than seven cells were not found when embryos were fixed previous to germ-band shortening; larger clones were found in the fat body and visceral musculature after fixing the embryos at the end of organogenesis. Quantitative considerations suggest that a few mesodermal cells might perform more than three mitoses.     

Developmental Morphology of the Head Mesoderm and Reevaluation of Segmental Theories of the Vertebrate Head: Evidence from Embryos of an Agnathan Vertebrate, Lampetra japonica

Due to the peculiar morphology of its preotic head, lampreys have long been treated as an intermediate animal which links amphioxus and gnathostomes. To reevaluate the segmental theory of classical comparative embryology, mesodermal development was observed in embryos of a lamprey, Lampetra japonica, by scanning electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Signs of segmentation are visible in future postotic somites at an early neurula stage, whereas the rostral mesoderm is unsegmented and rostromedially confluent with the prechordal plate. The premandibular and mandibular mesoderm develop from the prechordal plate in a caudal to rostral direction and can be called the preaxial mesoderm as opposed to the caudally developing gastral mesoderm. With the exception of the premandibular mesoderm, the head mesodermal sheet is secondarily regionalized by the otocyst and pharyngeal pouches into the mandibular mesoderm, hyoid mesoderm, and somite 0. The head mesodermal components never develop into cephalic myotomes, but the latter develop only from postotic somites. These results show that the lamprey embryo shows a typical vertebrate phylotype and that the basic mesodermal configuration of vertebrates already existed prior to the split of agnatha-gnathostomata; lamprey does not represent an intermediate state between amphioxus and gnathostomes. Unlike interpretations of theories of head segmentation that the mesodermal segments are primarily equivalent along the axis, there is no evidence in vertebrate embryos for the presence of preotic myotomes. We conclude that mesomere-based theories of head metamerism are inappropriate and that the formulated vertebrate head should possess the distinction between primarily unsegmented head mesoderm which includes preaxial components at least in part and somites in the trunk which are shared in all the known vertebrate embryos as the vertebrate phylotype.     

Inhibition of the synthesis of glycosphingolipid by a ceramide analogue (PPMP) in the gastrulation of Bufo arenarum

In the present study the role of glycosphingolipids (GSL) in amphibian development was investigated. We analysed the de novo synthesis of neutral GSL and gangliosides through the initial stages of Bufo arenarum embryo development and their participation during gastrulation using 1-phenyl-2-palmitoyl-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PPMP), a potent inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase. Ganglioside synthesis began at the blastula stage and reached a maximum during gastrulation (stages 10-12) while neutral GSL synthesis showed a slight gradual increase, the former being quantitatively more significant than the latter. Ganglioside synthesis was reduced by 90% while neutral GSL synthesis was inhibited by 65% when embryos at blastula stage were cultured for 24 h in 20 microM PPMP. The depletion of GSL from amphibian embryos induced an abnormal gastrulation in a dose-dependent manner. We found that PPMP had a pronounced effect on development since no embryos exhibited normal gastrulation; their developmental rate either slowed down or, more often, became totally arrested. Morphological analysis of arrested embryos revealed inhibition of the gastrulation morphogenetic movements. Analysis of mesodermal cell morphology in those embryos showed a severe decrease in the number and complexity of cellular extensions such as filopodia and lamellipodia. Mesodermal cells isolated from PPMP-treated embryos had very low adhesion percentages. Our results suggest that glycosphingolipids participate in Bufo arenarum gastrulation, probably through their involvement in cell adhesion events.     

Developmental biology: cell intercalation one step beyond

Formation of the primitive streak, the equivalent of the blastopore, is a critical step during the early development of amniote embryos. Medio-lateral cell intercalation and the planar cell polarity pathway play a role during this earliest step of gastrulation in the chick embryo.     

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the Chick Embryo Primitive Streak

The structure of the cells forming the primitive streak was examined by SEM in a series of embryos at Hamburger and Hamilton's stages 2–5. Specimens were prepared by stripping the endoderm from fresh embryos in New Culture and by fracturing whole fixed embryos along and at right angles to the primitive streak. At all stages of examination the SEM appearance of cells within the primitive streak was quite different from that of ectodermal, endodermal or mesodermal cells away from the streak. Streak cells were closely packed, lay with their long axes directed from ectoderm to endoderm and possessed many flat leaf-like processes. By contrast the ectoderm formed a columnar epithelium, the endoderm a flat epithelium and the mesoderm was a layer of loosely arranged cells with long, thin processes.
Within the streak SEM did not show any differences between cells that could identify them specifically as future endoderm or mesoderm cells. It was concluded that during gastrulation all the cells migrating through the primitive streak have the same appearance regardless of their eventual destination in the embryo. This structure may be attributable to the type of movement made by cells during invagination.     

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the chick embryo primitive streak

The structure of the cells forming the primitive streak was examined by SEM in a series of embryos at Hamburger and Hamilton's stages 2--5. Specimens were prepared by stripping the endoderm from fresh embryos in New Culture and by fracturing whole fixed embryos along and at right angles to the primitive streak. At all stages of examination the SEM appearance of cells within the privitive streak was quite different from that of ectodermal, endodermal or mesodermal cells away from the streak. Streak cells were closely packed, lay with their long axes directed from ectoderm to endoderm and possessed many flat leaf-like processes. By contrast the ectoderm formed a columnar epithelium, the endoderm a flat epithelium and the mesoderm was a layer of loosely arrangedcells with long. thin processes. Within the streak SEM did not show any differences between cells that could identify them specifically as future endoderm or mesoderm cells. It was concluded that during gastrulation all the cells migrating through the primitive streak have the same appearance regardless of their eventual destination in the embryo. This structure may be attributable to the type of movement made by cells during invagination.     

Pair-rule expression of a cell surface molecule during gastrulation of the moth embryo

The TN1 monoclonal antibody recognizes a cell surface epitope that is present on subsets of growing axons in the developing nervous system of moth embryos. This antigen is also found in a variety of other developing tissues: in all cases its expression is cell-specific and transient. Here we show that the first expression of the TN1 epitope in moth embryos occurs specifically on the surfaces of mesodermal cells during gastrulation, and that it is limited to alternate segments. Creation of this pair-rule pattern of expression includes indications of an initial 4-segment periodicity, and transient immunoreactivity in 'off' segments. The alternating pattern is most dramatic at the end of gastrulation. It changes rapidly such that, during organogenesis, the TN1 antigen(s) is expressed in many developing tissues of all segments, with little segment-specific variation. Immunolabelling of living embryos under culture conditions demonstrated that the TN1 epitope(s) is associated with cell surfaces, both during neurogenesis and during the earlier period of gastrulation. These observations indicate that pair-rule gene functions operate in insects other than Diptera and suggest that cell surface molecules may be utilized early in insect embryogenesis in the initial establishment of large body regions.     

Developing embryo and cyclic changes in the uterus of Peripatus (Macroperipatus) acacioi (Onychophora,Peripatidae)

Female reproductive tracts of the viviparous neo-tropical onychophoran Peripatus acacioi have been examined at different times throughout the year, and the altering relationship between the developing embryo and the uterus is described. Depending on her age and time of year, the female may have one or two generations of embryos within her uterus. The uterine wall consists of a thin outer epithelium and basal lamina, three layers of muscles, and a thick basal lamina beneath an inner epithelium lining the uterus lumen. These layers are consistent along the length of the uterus apart from the inner epithelial lining, which varies according to position in the uterus and the developmental stage of embryos contained in the uterus. Early embryos are positioned along the length of the uterus and therefore have space in which to grow. During cleavage and segment formation, each embryo is contained within a fluid-filled embryo cavity that increases in size as the embryo grows. Morulae and blastulae are separated by lengths of empty uterus in which the epithelial lining appears vacuolated. Until the process of segment formation is complete, the embryos are attached to a placenta by a stalk and remain in the same part of the upper region of the uterus. As these embryos grow, the lengths of vacuolated cell-lined uterus between them decrease. Each embryo cavity is surrounded by the epithelial sac, the maternal uterine epithelium, which becomes overlaid by a thin layer of cells, the embryo sac, which is believed to be of embryonic origin. The placenta is a syncytial modification of the epithelial sac located at the ovarian end of each embryo cavity covered by the embryo sac and is analogous to the mammalian noninvasive epitheliochorial placenta. Segment-forming embryos have their heads directed toward the ovary. As the embryo gets longer during segment formation, its posture changes from coiled to flexed. Once segment formation is complete, the embryo loses contact with its stalk, an embryonic cuticle forms, and the embryo turns around so that its head is directed toward the vagina. The embryo escapes from its embryo sac and moves to the lower part of the uterus. In the lower part of the uterus, the straightened fetuses are first unpigmented but subsequently become pigmented as the secondary papillae on the body surface form and an adult-type cuticle forms beneath the embryonic cuticle. While the embryos are contained within their embryo cavities, nutrients are supplied by the placenta. Throughout development the mouth is open and in the mature fetus the gut is lined by peritrophic membrane and material is present in the gut lumen. Trachea have been observed only in fetuses that were ready for birth. Insemination, cyclical changes in the uterine epithelium, and the nature of the cuticle shed at parturition are discussed. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Unique establishment of procephalic head segments is supported by the identification of cis-regulatory elements driving segment-specific segment polarity gene expression in Drosophila

Anterior head segmentation is governed by different regulatory mechanisms than those that control trunk segmentation in Drosophila. For segment polarity genes, both initial mode of activation as well as cross-regulatory interactions among them differ from the typical genetic circuitry in the trunk and are unique for each of the procephalic segments. In order to better understand the segment-specific gene network responsible for the procephalic expression of the earliest active segment polarity genes wingless and hedgehog, we started to identify and analyze cis-regulatory DNA elements of these genes. For hedgehog, we could identify a cis-regulatory element, ic-CRE, that mediates expression specifically in the posterior part of the intercalary segment and requires promoter-specific interaction for its function. The intercalary stripe is the last part of the metameric hedgehog expression pattern that appears during embryonic development, which probably reflects the late and distinct establishment of this segment. The identification of a cis-regulatory element that is specific for one head segment supports the mutant-based observation that the expression of segment polarity genes is governed by a unique gene network in each of the procephalic segments. This provides further indication that the anterior-most head segments represent primary segments, which are set up independently, in contrast to the secondary segments of the trunk, which resemble true repetitive units.     

Distribution of dorsal-forming activity in precleavage embryos of the Japanese newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster: effects of deletion of vegetal cytoplasm, UV irradiation, and lithium treatment

Two types of axis-deficient embryos developed after deletion of the vegetal cytoplasm: wasp-shaped embryos and permanent-blastula-type embryos. In situ hybridization revealed that neither type of axis-deficient embryo expressed goosecoid or pax-6. brachyury was expressed in the constricted waist region of the wasp-shaped embryos but was not expressed in the permanent-blastula-type embryos. Further, we examined the effect of UV irradiation on Japanese newt embryos. Surprisingly, UV-irradiated Japanese newt eggs formed hyperdorsalized embryos. These embryos gastrulated in an irregular circular fashion with goosecoid expression in the circular equatorial region. At tailbud stage, these embryos formed a proboscis which is very reminiscent of that formed in hyperdorsalized Xenopus embryos. Transplantation of the marginal region of the UV-irradiated embryos revealed that the entire marginal zone had organizer activity. Thus we conclude that UV hyperdorsalizes Japanese newt embryos. Finally, lithium treatment of normal embryos at the 32-cell stage also resulted in hyperdorsalization. Lithium treatment of vegetally deleted embryos had two distinct results. Lithium treatment of permanent-blastula-type embryos did not result in the formation of dorsal axial structures, while the same treatment reinduced gastrulation and dorsal axis formation in the wasp-shaped embryos. Based on these results, we propose a model for early axis specification in Japanese newt embryos. The model presented here is fundamentally identical to the Xenopus model, with some important modifications. The vegetally located determinants required for dorsal development (dorsal determinants, DDs) are distributed over a wider region at fertilization in Japanese newt embryos than in Xenopus embryos. The marginal region of the Japanese newt embryo at the beginning of development overlaps with the field of the DDs. Gastrulation is very likely to be a dorsal marginal-specific property, while self-constriction is most probably a ventral marginal-specific property in Japanese newt embryos.     

Analysis of extraembryonic mesodermal structure formation in the absence of morphological primitive streak

During mouse gastrulation, the primitive streak is formed on the posterior side of the embryo. Cells migrate out of the primitive streak to form the future mesoderm and endoderm. Fate mapping studies revealed a group of cell migrate through the proximal end of the primitive streak and give rise to the extraembryonic mesoderm tissues such as the yolk sac blood islands and allantois. However, it is not clear whether the formation of a morphological primitive streak is required for the development of these extraembryonic mesodermal tissues. Loss of the Cripto gene in mice dramatically reduces, but does not completely abolish, Nodal activity leading to the absence of a morphological primitive streak. However, embryonic erythrocytes are still formed and assembled into the blood islands. In addition, Cripto mutant embryos form allantoic buds. However, Drap1 mutant embryos have excessive Nodal activity in the epiblast cells before gastrulation and form an expanded primitive streak, but no yolk sac blood islands or allantoic bud formation. Lefty2 embryos also have elevated levels of Nodal activity in the primitive streak during gastrulation, and undergo normal blood island and allantois formation. We therefore speculate that low level of Nodal activity disrupts the formation of morphological primitive streak on the posterior side, but still allows the formation of primitive streak cells on the proximal side, which give rise to the extraembryonic mesodermal tissues formation. Excessive Nodal activity in the epiblast at pre‐gastrulation stage, but not in the primitive streak cells during gastrulation, disrupts extraembryonic mesoderm development.     

Embryonic development of the scorpionfly Panorpa emarginata Cheng with special reference to external morphology (Mecoptera: Panorpidae)

The Mecoptera are thought to be one of the most primitive groups in the Holometabola, but their embryology is rarely studied. By means of scanning electron microscopy, we studied the external features of the embryo of the scorpionfly Panorpa emarginata in middle and late development. The embryo remains in the superficial position until hatching. Embryonic development can be divided into 10 stages along with the first‐instar larva. The external features are described from the germ band to the first‐instar larva, with special reference to the components and segmentation of the head, the segmentation of abdomen and the formation of abdominal prolegs. Our results confirm that the head consists of an anterior‐most acron and six trunk segments: the labral, antennal, intercalary, mandibular, maxillary, and labial segments. The labrum is confirmed to derive from the paired appendages. Our observations also provide additional direct evidence that the abdominal prolegs are not serially homologous with the thoracic legs. The presence of the eleventh abdominal segment is clarified. J. Morphol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Maternal-effect mutations altering the anterior-posterior pattern of the Drosophila embryo

Summary Mutations in seven different maternal-effect loci on the second chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster all cause alterations in the anterior-posterior pattern of the embryo. Mutations in torso (tor) and trunk (trk) delete the anterior- and posterior-most structures of the embryo. At the same time they shift cellular fates which are normally found in the subterminal regions of the embryo towards the poles. Mutations in vasa (vas), valois (vls), staufen (stau) and tudor (tud) cause two embryonic defects. For one they result in absence of polar plasm, polar granules and pole cells in all eggs produced by mutant females. Secondly, embryos developing inside such eggs show deletions of abdominal segments. In addition, embryos derived from staufen mothers lack anterior head structures, embryos derived from valois mothers frequently fail to cellularize properly. Mutations in exuperantia (exu) cause deletions of anterior head structures, similar to torso, trunk and staufen. However in exu, these head structures are replaced by an inverted posterior end which comprises posterior midgut, proctodeal region, and often malpighian tubules.The effects of all mutations can be traced back to the beginning stages of gastrulation, indicating that the alterations in cellular fates have probably taken place by that time. Analysis of embryos derived from double mutant mothers suggests that these three phenotypic groups of mutants interfere with three different, independent pathways. All three pathways seem to act additively on the system which specifies anterior-posterior cellular fates within the egg.     

Early embryonic development of the head region of Gryllus assimilis Fabricius, 1775 (Orthoptera,Insecta)

We report our investigations on the embryonic development of Gryllus assimilis, with particular attention to the head. Significant findings revealed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images include: (1) the pre-antennal lobes represent the anterior-most segment that does not bear any appendages; (2) each of the lobes consists of central and marginal regions; (3) the central region thereof develops into the protocerebrum and the optic lobes, whereas the marginal region thereof becomes the anterior portion of the head capsule; (4) the initial position of the antennal segment is posterior to the mouth region; (5) appendage anlagen are transitorily present in the intercalary segment, and they later vanish together with the segment itself; (6) a bulged sternum appears to develop from the ventral surface of the mandibular, maxillary and labial segments. Embryonic features are then compared across the Insecta and further extended to the embryos of a spider (Araneae, Chelicerata). Striking similarities shared by the anterior-most region of the insect and spider embryos lead the authors to conclude that such comparison should be further undertaken to cover the entire Euarthropoda. This will help us to understand the embryology and evolution of the arthropod head.