UNASSIGNED: This study examined the mesocardiac and urocardiac ossicles in the gastric mill of the @entity11061 to describe its structure, mineralization, and dynamics throughout the molt cycle, and to assess its possible utility in age determination. Morphologically, the mineralized ossicles are similar to the calcified dorsal carapace having a lamellate structure comprised of sheets of chitin/protein fibrils. Staining with @entity9186 showed the same arrangement of an epicuticle, exocuticle, and endocuticle. In much of the mesocardiac and urocardiac ossicles, the endocuticle is very reduced, with the exocuticle predominating; the reverse of the dimensions of the exoskeleton. The lamellate structure of the ossicles was confirmed with scanning electron microscopy; however, elemental mapping by energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays revealed that the ossicles are mineralized with @entity78 , in contrast to the @entity4959 biomineral of the exoskeleton. The medial tooth of the urocardiac ossicle is not calcified, but the epicuticle is highly elaborated and impregnated with @entity3440 . Histological examination of the ossicles demonstrated that they are molted during ecdysis, so despite the appearance of bands in the mesocardiac ossicle, it is difficult to hypothesize how the bands could represent a record of chronological age. J. Morphol. 276:1358-1367, 2015.    2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structure, molting, and mineralization of the dorsal ossicle complex in the gastric mill of the @entity11061 , XXXX .

@entity11061 :: ('6763', 'Species') :: ['blue crab'] @entity78 :: ('MESH:C020243', 'Chemical') :: ['calcium phosphate'] @entity4959 :: ('MESH:D002119', 'Chemical') :: ['calcium carbonate'] @entity3440 :: ('MESH:D012822', 'Chemical') :: ['silica'] @entity9186 :: ('MESH:D000165', 'Chemical') :: ['acridine orange']
@entity11061 :: (6763,Species) :: ['Callinectes sapidus']
