The comparative study of the four non‐bilaterian phyla (Cnidaria, Placozoa, Ctenophora,
and Porifera) provides insights into the origin of bilaterian traits. To complete our knowledge …

Microtubules are an indispensable component of all eukaryotic cells due to their role in
mitotic spindle formation, yet their organization and number can vary greatly in the …

Abstract In some Porifera (Demospongiae: Keratosa), prototypes of the connective system
are almost exclusively based on collagenic networks. We studied the topographic …

The sponge genus Oscarella is very important for the understanding of the early evolution of
Metazoa, but the identification of its species is particularly difficult due to the absence of a …

Each animal phylum has its own bauplan. The phylotypic stage is the ontogenetic stage
during which the phylum level characteristics appear. This stage refers to different stages of …