title: An early temperature-sensitive period for the plasticity of segment number in the centipede Strigamia maritima.
abstract: Geophilomorph centipedes show variation in segment number (a) between closely related species and (b) within and between populations of the same species. We have previously shown for a Scottish population of the coastal centipede Strigamia maritima that the temperature of embryonic development is one of the factors that affects the segment number of hatchlings, and hence of adults, as these animals grow epimorphically--that is, without postembryonic addition of segments. Here, we show, using temperature-shift experiments, that the main developmental period during which embryos are sensitive to environmental temperature is surprisingly early, during blastoderm formation and before, or very shortly after, the onset of segmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, University Rd., Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vedel
authors.forename: Zivkos
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Apostolou
authors.forename: Wallace
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akam
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brena
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D001756:Blastoderm / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors