title: Fine structural comparative peculiarities of the developing dipnoan dermal skeleton in the fins of Neoceratodus larvae.
abstract: This study shows that actinotrichia are present in the growing fins of the dipnoan larvae Neoceratodus . They develop in advance of the camptotrichia , which will finally sustain the adult fin. Actinotrichia in dipnoan fins are similar to those already described in other osteichthyans . This feature strongly suggests the plesiomorphic character of the actinotrichia in the fish fins. In dipnoan , unlike other osteichthyan , actinotrichia are integrated in the growing camptotrichia and thus disappear in the adult fin. Consequently, only in dipnoan are actinotrichia a transitory dermal skeleton.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D007814:Larva / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron