Diagram of larval morphotype that characterizes this group of species.
Genus or group name
Once you have navigated to a species or group of species using the dichotomous key, larval images or searching by taxonomic group you will reach a descriptive page like this. A general description for this group of species is spelled out here. Often species will be grouped based on larvae of similar morphology, by genus (e.g. Tubulanus) or species complex (e.g. Cerebratulus californiensis species complex). If one larval form is unique to a single species, this generalized section is omitted. Following the line below this section are larval descriptions for each species, where species are also separated by lines.
Months (right to left = Jan to Dec) observed (arrowheads in grey) indicates the months were this larval morphotype has been documented, but not necessarily confirmed with DNA sequence data.
Brief caption describing specific information about pictured larvae and relevant scale (usually 100 µm). Clicking on images enlarges them.
Months collected (arrowheads in black) indicates the months we have collected and confirmed the identity of larvae from plankton samples.
Genus species
Sequence data: 16S, COI
If the larva has been identified to known species, the section title will include the species name whether it is a described (e.g. Maculaura alaskensis) or undescribed (e.g Micrura sp. "dark") species. The sequence data heading shows the genes for which we have obtained good quality sequences and, by clicking on the gene name, you can download a representative sequence from GenBank.
Brief caption describing specific information about pictured larvae and relevant scale (usually 100 µm). Clicking on images enlarges them.
Months collected (arrowheads in black) indicates the months we have collected and confirmed the identity of larvae from plankton samples.
pilidium morphotype
Sequence data: 16S, COI
'Orphan' larvae, or those which we currently cannot match to any known adults are indicated not by species name, but by a larval morphotype or larval name, which is not capitalized or italicized. Pilidial morphotype names are usually descriptive (e.g. pilidium pyramidum describes the larva's pyramid shape), but hoplonemertean and palaeonemertean orphan larvae are usually described by genus name only (e.g. Tubulanus larva 1).
The following indicates the steps (each subsequent step is indented) you've made in the dichotomous key. To go back to any previous step just click on the appropriate text.