Coelom and Metamerism

Dr. Anupam Ghosh

Assistant Professor
Bankura Christian College
 Definition and Types
 The term coelom was suggested by Haekel in
1872.
 Coelom is defined as a fluid filled perivisceral
cavity lined by embryonic mesoderm.
 Depending on the presence or absence of
coelom, animals shows three grades of
organization
 A) Triploblastic Acoelomate
 B) Triploblastic Pseudocoelomate
 C) Triploblastic True/Eu coelomate
 Acoelomate
 Triploblastic animals lacking an internal body
cavity are said to be acoelomate (a= without;
coelom=a hollow space).

 Characteristically, the region lying between the

outer body wall and the gut of acoelomates is
solid, made of parechymatous tissues and being
occupied by mesoderm , there is no trace of an
internal body cavity during embryological
development.

 Found in phylum Platyhelminthes and Nemertini.

 Pseudocoelomate
 In a second group of animals, the space
between the body wall and gut encloses a fluid
filled cavity which is not lined by mesodermal
cells. It is known as pseudocoel or false
coelom and the animals possessing it are
known as pseudocoelomates.
 The internal organs are free within the space,
as there is no peritoneum bounding the cavity.
 Found in phylum Nematoda, Entoprocta,
Rotifera, and Gastrotricha.
 Eucoelomate
 In rest of the bilateria, an internal, fluid filled
body-cavity present between the outer body
wall and gut is lined by a peritoneum
(epithelial cells derived by embryonic
mesoderm). This type of cavity is known as
true coelom and the animals possessing it are
known as Eucoelomates
 Found in phylum Annelida, Arthropoda,
Mollusca, Echinodermata, Hemichordata and
Chordata.
 Haemocoel
 However, in some coelomates like arthropods
and molluscs, the coelom is reduced or
absent in adult, but is present in the embryo.
The space containing blood and lymph is in
the form of tubes through which fluid is
made to circulate by the heart, and this space
is called a haemocoel. The visceral organs are
surrounded by the haemocoel.
 Found in some Arthropods.
 Coelom formation/ Origin of Coelom

1. SCHIZOCOEL HYPOTHESIS:
 Coelom formation may occur by either of two quite dissimilar

mechanisms. Among protostomes, coelom formation occurs by

gradual enlargement of a split in the mesoderm. This process is
termed Schizocoely (Gr. Schizen: to split; koilos: hollow). e.g.
phylum Annelida, Arthropoda, and Mollusca.

2. ENTEROCOEL HYPOTHESIS:
 Among Deuterostomes, on the otherhand, the coelom typically

foms through evagination of the archenteron into the blastocoel

of the embryo. Because the coelom of deuterostomes is formed
from a part of gut, coelom formation in this group of animals is
termed enterocoely (Gr. Enteron:gut; koilos: hollow). e.g. phylum
Echinodermata, Hemichordata and Chordata.
 Structure of coelom

 The coelom is lined externally by a parietal epithelium

(parietal peritoneum) and internally by a visceral or
splanchnic epithelium (visceral peritoneum). The
peritoneum surrounds all the internal (visceral)
organs, including the alimentary canal.
 The coelom contains coelomic fluid and constitutes
one or more perivisceral spaces around the heart,
alimentary canal and other organs.
 Coelom is divided into fluid filled compartments by
body wall to the alimentary canal. The wall of the
septa is perforated, through which coelomic fluid
communicates from one compartment to another.
 Functions of coelom

 1. Coelom surrounds the internal organs and thus

protects them from external shocks.
 2. It serves as a hydrostatic skeleton to assist in
locomotion and maintaining shape of the body.
 3. It provides flexibility to the body. The internal
organs in coelomate animals become large and are
able to perform movements freely of their own.
 4. It helps in removing excretory waste from the body.
 5. Helps in the transportation of gases and nutritive
materials from one part of the body to the other.
 6. Acts as a site for gamete maturation and brooding
of embryos.
Metamerism
 Metamery in animals is defined as a mesodermal
event resulting in serial repetition of unit
subdivisions of ectoderm and mesoderm products.
Endoderm is not involved in metamery. Metamerism
is important biologically since it results in
metameres, also called somites that play a critical
role in advanced locomotion. Metameric
segmentation or metamerism is an architectural
body plan in some animals in which the similar body
segments and organ systems are serially repeated
one after another. The similar body segments are
called metameres or somites.
Occurrence of metamerism
 1. Metamerism was first observed in Annelida in
the animal kingdom.
 2. The most successful animals of animal kingdom
like arthropoda and chordata will also show
metameric segmentation.
 3. In annelids, the metameric segmentation is both
external and internal. The body is divided into a
number of segments which contain all body organs
repeatedly but the alimentary canal is a long and
straight tube extending through all the segments.
 4. In arthropods the segmentation is external.
 5. In chordates the segmentation is internal.
Characteristic features
 1. Metamerism is always confined to the
intermediate (trunk) segments except for the
anterior acron (head) and a posterior pygidium
or telson.
 2. Each metamere represents a mirror image of
the other.
 3. Segmental structures are interdependent on
each other.
 4. They are integrated into a single functional
unit.
 5. All the segments of bodywork in coordination.
Types

The metamerism in different groups is divided into the following types:

 Pseudometamerism

i) occurs in Cestodes in which every segment is independent of the

other and contains complete set of organs that have no connection
with organs in other segments.
ii) Segmentation of the body takes place by the segmentation of the
ectoderm. The body consists of a number of segments or
proglottids which varies in different individuals of the same
species.
iii) New segments are added to the body throughout life. The
proglottids or segments differ in the degree of development.
iv) The segments or proglottids are functionally independent or self-
con tained units and new segments are always formed and there is
no cooperation between the segments. The new segments are
formed at the anterior end, just behind the scolex.

True metamerism
 True metamerism,
I) there is a serial repetition of homologous organs, like nephridia,
nerves, muscles, reproductive organs, appendages etc. in each
segment but these organs function in coordination with the
others. All segments are integrated into a single functional unit.
II) Here posterior segments are younger as compared to the
anterior ones. Coelom is divided by intersegmental septa into
compartments.
III) Truly segmented animals typically have an anterior acron and
posterior pygidium and various intermediate segments called
metameres or somites. In higher invertebrates, such as
arthropods, metamerism provided an opportunity for
specialization of segments into head, thorax and abdomen.
 True Metamerism can be divided into two main categories: homonomous
metamery and heteronomous metamery.
 Homonomous metamery: If the segments or somites of the animal are all
alike, the’ segmentation is called homonomous metamerism. It is a strict
serial succession of metameres, of which, in fact, there are no true examples
in the invertebrates; however, the Annelida worms, e.g., earthworms, are
used as a model to homonomous metamery.
 Heteronomous metamery is the condition where metameres have grouped
together to perform similar tasks. The extreme example of this is the insect
head (5 metameres), thorax, and abdomen.
 Complete Metamerism: When the segmentation is seen practically in all
systems, the metamerism is called complete metamerism. It is seen in
annelids.
 Incomplete Metamerism: When the segmentation is not seen in all the
organs, the metamerism is called incomplete metamerism. It is seen in
arthropods and chordates.
EVOLUTION OF TRUE METAMERISM

 METAMERISM IN ANNELIDA
 R.B. Clark (1964) proposed the LOCOMOTION THEORY to explain the origin of
metamerism in annelids. According to this theory, metamerism evolved in annelids as an
adaptation to peristaltic locomotion and for burrowing. It involves shortening and
lengthening the body by circular and longitudinal muscles. As the coelom is filled with
coelomic fluid peristaltic locomotion will not be possible unless the coelom is divided by
septa, so that high pressure produced by the contraction of muscles can be confined to a
particular region and it does not affect the whole body. By having metamerism annelids
regulate locomotory movements in different directions.

 METAMERISM IN ARTHROPODA
 Arthropods inherited metamerism from annelids in which body organs and
appendages were serially repeated in each segment. Arthropods used this condition to
specialize body organs and reduce their number. Therefore, arthropods specialized
segmented bodies into tagma, such as the cephalothorax and abdomen in crustaceans, or
into the head, thorax, and abdomen in insects. Appendages were modified to produce
antennae, mouth parts, walking and swimming appendages, wings, etc. Such specialization
of body segments in arthropods is called tagmatization or tagmosis, which led to rapid
evolution that made arthropods the most abundant and diversified of all animals on earth.
Theories of Metamerism

 CLARK’S LOCOMOTION THEORY

 R.B. Clark’s (1964) theory postulates that metamerism evolved independently in chordates
also for locomotion which was carried out by lateral undulation of the body in primitive
aquatic vertebrates.
 Metamerism allowed myotomes or muscle bundles and nerves to be arranged segmentally
for better coordination of undulatory movement of the body.

 CYCLOMERISM THEORY
 This theory was proposed by Sedgwick in 1884 and supported by Remane in 1950 and
1963.
 This theory is the corollary of the enterococcus theory of coelom origin and is associated
with the origin of metameric segmentation.
 It is assumed that the origin of coelom took place from the gastric pouches of some
ancestral anthozoan coelenterates. The gastric pouches are separated from the main gastric
cavity and arranged in a linear fashion.
 These pouches are transformed into the gastric cavity and arranged in a linear fashion First
four gastric pouches are developed in ancestral medusoid coelenterates. Further division of
two pouches resulted in three pairs of coelomic cavities, viz., protocoel, mesocoel and
metacoel.

Theories of metamerism

 3. Corn or Fission Theory:

 According to this theory, the metameric segmentation resulted due to
incomplete separation following the repeated transverse divisions of a non-
segmented ancestor or by asexual reproduction producing a chain of sub-
individuals or zooids. These zooids are united end to end. Such events
occur in scyphozoan strobilae and in Platyhelminthes.

 Significance of Metamerism:
 1. It helps in locomotion, not only in burrowing but in all other types of
locomotion.
 2. Metamerism offers a division of labour.