Invited cover image
Elaine Seaver
Ventral view of a late stage larva of the polychaete Capitella capitata. The anterior end is marked by two orange larval eye spots. Annelids are one of the three major segmented animal groups and represent an important study group for understanding the evolution of body plan segmentation in the Metazoa. At this stage the first 12 segments are already formed and additional segments are added after metamorphosis during juvenile and adult stages.