Anatomical study of Pycnophyes robustus (Kinorhyncha: Allomalorhaghida: Pycnophyidae): Evaluation of microcomputed tomography in comparison with other microscopic techniques

ABSTRACT Micro-computed tomography is a non-invasive technique that allows 3D rendered images with anatomical information, which facilitates functional anatomy interpretations. Its usefulness has already been proven in several animal groups of relatively small size, but it has rarely been applied for the anatomical and morphological investigation of meiofaunal organisms. Here, we tested micro-CT as a potential technique for anatomical studies on Kinorhyncha, a hard-bodied meiofauna phylum. The morphological information obtained from our micro-CT images regarding the cuticle, epidermis, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems fits with the known anatomical information on kinorhynchs through classical techniques such as Light Microscopy (LM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), thus presenting a valid option when few specimens are available for study, as it is practically a non-invasive technique for the morphological study of these animals.