Comparisons of developmental processes of air- breathing organs among terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Oniscidea): implications for their evolutionary origins

Background The acquisition of air-breathing organs is one of the key innovations for terrestrialization in animals. Terrestrial isopods, a crustacean lineage, can be suitable models to study the evolution of respiratory organs, as they exhibit varieties of air-breathing structures according to their habitats. However, the evolutionary processes and origins of these structures are unclear, due to the lack of information about their developmental processes. To understand the developmental mechanisms, we compared the developmental processes forming different respiratory structures in three isopod species, i.e., 'uncovered lungs' in Nagurus okinawaensis (Trachelipodidae), 'dorsal respiratory fields' in Alloniscus balssi (Alloniscidae), and pleopods without respiratory structures in Armadilloniscus cf. ellipticus (Detonidae). Results In N. okinawaensis with uncovered lungs, epithelium and cuticle around the proximal hemolymph sinus developed into respiratory structures at post-manca juvenile stages. On the other hand, in Al. balssi with dorsal respiratory fields, the region for the future respiratory structure was already present at manca 1 stage, immediately after hatching, where the lateral protrusion of ventral epithelium occurred, forming the respiratory structure. Furthermore, on pleopods in Ar. cf. ellipticus , only thickened dorsal cuticle and the proximal hemolymph sinus developed during postembryonic development without special morphogenesis. Conclusions This study shows that the respiratory structures in terrestrial isopods develop primarily by postembryonic epithelial modifications, but the timing and mode of development vary among species with different respiratory structures. The positions developing into respiratory structures differ between uncovered lungs and dorsal respiratory fields, suggesting that these organs derive from different origins despite the similar location of their functional organs. Overall, this study provides fundamental information for evolutionary developmental studies of isopod respiratory organs.