title: Lung anatomy and histology of the extant coelacanth shed light on the loss of air-breathing during deep-water adaptation in actinistians.
abstract: Lungs are specialized organs originated from the posterior pharyngeal cavity and considered as plesiomorphic for osteichthyans, as they are found in extant basal actinopterygians (i.e.Polypterus) and in all major groups of extant sarcopterygians. The presence of a vestigial lung in adult stages of the extant coelacanthLatimeria chalumnaeis the result of allometric growth during ontogeny, in relation with long-time adaptation to deep water. Here, we present the first detailed histological and anatomical description of the lung ofLatimeria chalumnae, providing new insights into its arrested differentiation in an air-breathing complex, mainly represented by the absence of pneumocytes and of compartmentalization in the latest ontogenetic stages.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zoologia , Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro , R. São Francisco Xavier, 524-Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900 , Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6030-8670
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cupello
authors.affiliation: Département des Milieux et Peuplements Aquatiques , UMR BOREA 7208, Sorbonne Universités-MNHN-UPMC-CNRS-IRD, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle , 57 rue Cuvier, Paris 75231 , France.
authors.forename: François J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.affiliation: Département Écologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité, UMR MECADEV 7179, Sorbonne Universités-MNHN-CNRS , Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle , 57 rue Cuvier, Paris 75231 , France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herbin
authors.affiliation: Département Histoire de la Terre, UMR CR2P 7207 , Sorbonne Universités-MNHN-UPMC-CNRS, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle , 57 rue Cuvier, CP38, Paris 75005 , France.
authors.forename: Gaël
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clément
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zoologia , Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro , R. São Francisco Xavier, 524-Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900 , Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Brito
keywords: Actinistia; Latimeria chalumnae; air-breathing organ; histology; lung; ontogeny