Epidermal sensitivity to hypoxia in the lugworm

Summary Physiological and anatomical data support the idea that in the caudal epidermis of the lugworm,Arenicola marina (L.), there are chemoreceptors detecting variations of oxygen partial pressure in the ambient water.This research was partly supported by a C.N.R.S. grant, AI No. 582 085. We thank Dr P. Dejours and Dr J. Taxi for helpful comments and discussion, Mrs S. Dejours for editing the English of this paper, M.F. Baucher, A. Dorme, F. Kleinbauer, the staff of the Station Biologique de Roscoff and the Service de Microscopie Electronique, C.N.R.S., boulevard Raspail, Paris, for technical assistance.