The tegumental glands of Derocheilocaris typica (Crustacea, Mystacocarida)

The tegumental glands of Derocheilocaris typica are tricellular. Their openings are formed by two transformed epidermal cells, each with a microvillar crown. These cells form a cuticular socket housing the tip of the underlying secretory cell. From the outside, the gland openings are seen as a pit in the cuticle, from the bottom of which a thin cuticular chimney ends with a slit-like pore. The gland openings are distributed in a regular pattern on the body. Cytologically, the secretory cells of the body glands fall into at least two categories, each with a specific distribution on the body. The labral tegumentary glands are morphologically similar, but have two or three secretory cells. The morphology of the mystacocaridean tegumental gland deviates clearly from that of cephalocarid and also from other crustacean tricellular tegumental glands.