Ultrastructure of the sensory epithelia of oral tube,fungiform sensory bodies,and terminal knobs of tentacles of Ovatella myosotis Draparnaud (Archaeopulmonata,Gastropoda)

Sensory epithelia of the oral tube, a fungiform body anterior to the tentacles and of the terminal knob of tentacles, were studied in Ovatella myosotis by electron microscopy. All three epithelia consist of columnar support cells, sensory cells, and, except in the oral tube, numerous goblet cells. The epithelia differ significantly in their apical differentiations. In the oral tube an outer layer is formed by irregularly bent villi of support cells completely embedded in a surface coat. Cilia and cytofila of the dendrites of sensory cells intertwine throughout the entire depth of the villous layer. In the fungiform sensory body some of the villi of support cells are singly branched. Their basal region is free of a surface coat. In this region cytofila and cilia of dendrites form a spongy layer, some cytofila extending into the surface coat. In the tentacular terminal knob the villi of the support cells branch dichotomously once or twice, a single villus thus ending with 2–4 tips. Only these terminal twigs are invested with the surface coat. The cytofila and dendritic cilia are confined to a broad spongy layer underneath. Three types of dendrites are present. They differ in their number of cilia, structure of basal bodies and occurrence in the three epithelia. Dendritic cytofila are most abundant in the tentacular terminal knob and least numerous in the oral tube. The observations are discussed with respect to corresponding epithelia in other pulmonates, the homology of the fungiform body, and possible functional correlates of structural features.