Sperm ultrastructure of the digenean Siphoderina elongata (Platyhelminthes, Cryptogonimidae) intestinal parasite of Nemipterus furcosus (Pisces, Teleostei).
The ultrastructure of the spermatozoon of Siphoderina elongata was studied by transmission electron microscopy. A description and drawings of the mature spermatozoon are presented in this paper. Several ultrastructural elements of this male gamete have been observed: a nucleus, two mitochondria, two axonemes of 9 + "1" pattern, external ornamentation of the plasma membrane, spine-like bodies and cortical microtubules. The presence, the location or the number of these elements have been compared with other digenean spermatozoa. Moreover, a close attention was paid to the organization of the external ornamentation region. This zone presents a single row of cortical microtubules disposed in a semi-circle around a mitochondrion and associated with external ornamentation and spine-like bodies. The aim of this study is to highlight criteria which can be interesting in Platyhelminthes phylogeny.
Quilichini
Y
Y
University of Corsica, CNRS UMR, Corte, France. quilichini@univ-corse.fr
Foata
J
J
Justine
J-L
JL
Bray
R A
RA
Marchand
B
B
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015388:Organelles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010473:Perciformes / Q000469:parasitology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014200:Trematoda / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure*