Maryori Ruiz-Velasquez; Hernan Montecinos & Eduardo Tarifeño

The anatomy and histology of the nervous system in the mussel Choromytilus chorus were studied. Juvenile specimens of C. chorus and adult broodstock were collected in Laraquete Cove, Chile (37°09'S; 37°11'O). The juveniles were used for histological analysis and the adults for a macroscopic description of anatomical. The histological description was carried out by Gallego ́s trichrome technique. The macroscopic analysis showed that nervous system network includes three pairs of ganglia of orange color and little size (20-40 mm) (cerebral, pedal and visceral) located in the anterior, middle and posterior zone of the specimen, respectively. The histological analysis showed many type de cells inside the ganglia (neurosecretory, granulated and glial cells). The ganglia network could be involving in regulating several physiological processes in the mussels through of their neurosecretions.

KEY WORDS: Mussels; Nervous system; Histology; Neurosecretory cells; Choromytilus chorus.

RUIZ-VELASQUEZ, M.; MONTECINOS, H. & TARIFEÑO, E. Anatomical and histological characteristics of the nervous system of the Chilean giant mussel, Choromytilus chorus (Molina 1782) (Bivalvia, Mytilidae). Int. J. Morphol., 36(4):1262-1267, 2018.