The White Sea littoral oligochaete Lumbricillus sp. as a model for annelid development studies

Abstract

Oligochaetes play a significant role in aquatic ecosystems, and studying their development can contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary features of embryonic development in the phylum Annelida. In this paper, we initially explored a littoral oligochaete species from the White Sea, which is abundant in the vicinity of the White Sea Biological Station MSU and reproduces in the early summer. A molecular phylogenetic analysis utilizing COI and 18S markers confirmed that the species under investigation belongs to the genus Lumbricillus, family Enchytridae. The early stages of embryonic development were described in detail, and the timing of the onset of key stages was established. The specifics of the cellular patterns observed in the early embryo were elucidated using the fluorescence staining and confocal microscopy. The embryonic development of Lumbricillus sp. exhibits characteristics that are consistent with the typical development of oligochaetes. Additionally, it displays specific characteristics that are typical of representatives of the Enchytriidae family, including equal size of the 2nd and 2D blastomeres and a small size of the 4D blastomere in comparison to the large 4D blastomere. The combination of synchrony and low developmental variability, coupled with the accessibility of the object, ease of maintenance and manipulation, makes Lumbricillus sp. a highly promising object for the study of embryonic development in Annelides.