Yuen A.H.L.1, Kwok D.H.C.2, Kim S.W.3 2019. Magnetic resonance imaging of the live tri-spine horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) // Arthropoda Selecta. Vol.28. No.2: 247–251 [in English].

1 Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. E-mail: yhladams@hotmail.com

2 Time Medical Systems, Science Park West Avenue, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.

3 Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.

doi: 10.15298/arthsel. 28.2.06

ABSTRACT. Tri-spine horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) is one of the most extensively studied arthropods from both biological and paleontological perspectives due to its unique suite of anatomical features and as a useful modern analogue for fossil arthropod groups. To assist the study and documentation of this iconic taxon, thorough understanding of their anatomy is necessary. Traditional dissection approach to study the anatomy of tri-spine horseshoe crab is technically demanding and time-consuming, and causes loss of specimen integrity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have currently become more readily available for zoomorphological investigation. A growing body of digitally stored anatomical data has become available to assist with biological, morphological and pathological investigation, without destroying specimens. The objective of the present study is to provide an overview of the normal cross-sectional anatomy of the live tri-spine horseshoe crab using T1W and T2W MRI, along with dissection images. MRI scan of 4 living tri-spine horseshoe crabs were performed by 1.5T MRI scanner. The resulting images provided excellent detail of major anatomical structures of live tri-spine horseshoe crabs. The illustrations in the present study provides an initial reference to evaluate anatomical structures of the tri-spine horseshoe crab on MR images.

KEY WORDS: imaging anatomy; magnetic resonance imaging; tri-spine horseshoe crab.

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