Observations on the gametolytic gland in the anaspidean opisthobranchs, <i>Phyllaplysia taylori</i> and <i>Aplysia californica</i>

Brandriff, Brigitte; Beeman, Robert D.

doi:10.1002/jmor.1051410403

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Instead, we found evidence for an endocytotic function and potentially also a carbohydrate storage function, which is indicated by the accumulation of glycogen after mating. Because molluscs have no equivalent to a glycogen-storing organ such as the vertebrate liver, or a lipid-storing tissue such as adipose tissue of mammals or fat bodies of vertebrates (Brandriff and Beeman, 1973), the connective tissue of the diverticulum wall may function as a temporary storage area.…”

Section: Histology and Function Of The Diverticulummentioning

confidence: 99%

Bursa tract diverticulum in the hermaphroditic land snailArianta arbustorum (Stylommatophora: Helicidae): Morphology, function, and evolutionary implications

2006

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A bursa tract diverticulum is widespread in the female part of the hermaphroditic reproductive system of stylommatophoran pulmonates. However, the ultrastructure of the diverticulum is unknown and there is only anecdotal evidence for a spermatophore-dissolving function for this organ. In the present study, we examined the ultrastructure of the diverticulum and investigated histological, histochemical, and morphometric changes at different time intervals after mating in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Arianta arbustorum. The diverticulum in this species of snail is a prominent organ, consisting of a luminal columnar epithelium surrounded by a thick layer of connective tissue. During mating, the diverticulum functions as the site of spermatophore uptake. Within the lumen of the diverticulum the spermatophore wall is dissolved or at least partly broken down. The digested material is taken up by epithelial cells and accumulated in molluscan-specific cells of the connective tissue, the so-called rhogocytes. Subsequent to copulation, the total diameter of the diverticulum increases markedly, reaching a maximum size 12 h after mating, while at the same time the thicknesses of the diverticulum wall and diverticulum epithelium decrease. The length of the diverticulum shows a positive allometry and a high phenotypic variation compared to snail size, which suggests that the diverticulum is under directional sexual selection. We propose that the diverticulum in A. arbustorum has evolved in response to selection pressures imposed by divergent evolutionary interests between male and female function.

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Section: Histology and Function Of The Diverticulummentioning

confidence: 99%

Bursa tract diverticulum in the hermaphroditic land snailArianta arbustorum (Stylommatophora: Helicidae): Morphology, function, and evolutionary implications

2006

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“…There is thus likely to be a strong incentive for the sperm recipients to control the fate of received substances, and one possible solution is to evolve means of sperm (ejaculate) digestion. There can be no doubt that significant sperm digestion occurs, with well-developed sperm-digesting organs described for example in gastropods (Beeman 1970;Brandriff and Beeman 1973;Beeman 1977;Beese et al 2006), flatworms (Sluys 1989), and oligochaetes (Westheide 1999). Similarly, even in species with traumatic insemination (see below) that lack specific sperm receiving organs, received sperm appear to be rapidly cleared from recipients (e.g., Macrostomum hystrix; S Ramm, A Schlatter, M Poirier, and L Schärer, unpubl.).…”

Section: Postmating Conflicts: Interests Of the Sperm Recipientmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Conflict in Hermaphrodites

Schärer¹,

Janicke²,

Ramm³

2014

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol

106

142

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Hermaphrodites combine the male and female sex functions into a single individual, either sequentially or simultaneously. This simple fact means that they exhibit both similarities and differences in the way in which they experience, and respond to, sexual conflict compared to separate-sexed organisms. Here, we focus on clarifying how sexual conflict concepts can be adapted to apply to all anisogamous sexual systems and review unique (or especially important) aspects of sexual conflict in hermaphroditic animals. These include conflicts over the timing of sex change in sequential hermaphrodites, and in simultaneous hermaphrodites, over both sex roles and the postmating manipulation of the sperm recipient by the sperm donor. Extending and applying sexual conflict thinking to hermaphrodites can identify general evolutionary principles and help explain some of the unique reproductive diversity found among animals exhibiting this widespread but to date understudied sexual system.

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“…The morphology of their female reproductive system is complicated, with two sperm storage organs, the copulatory bursa and the seminal receptacle. Hermaphroditic gastropods are generally thought to be able to digest allo-sperm stored in the copulatory bursae (Brandriff and Beemen 1973;Dillen et al 2009;Lind 1973). The morphology, arrangement, and connectivity of the copulatory bursa and seminal receptacle are highly variable among nudibranch species (Rudman 1984;Valdés et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A nudibranch removes rival sperm with a disposable spiny penis

Sekizawa

Goto

Nakashima

2018

J Ethol

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Simultaneous hermaphroditism is, at least initially, favoured by selection under low density-and therefore it can be assumed that sperm competition has little importance in this sexual system. However, many simultaneously hermaphroditic nudibranchs have both an allo-sperm storage organ (the seminal receptacle) and an allo-sperm digesting organ (the copulatory bursa), suggesting the possibility of the occurrence of sperm competition. A nudibranch, Chromodoris reticulata, autotomizes its penis after every copulation and replenishes it within about 24 h to perform another copulation. We observed that the surface of the autotomized penis was covered with many backward-pointing spines and that a sperm mass was often entangled on the spines. This suggests that the nudibranch removes sperm that is already stored in a mating partner's sperm storage organ(s) with its thorny penis. Using six microsatellite markers, we determined that the sperm mass attached to the penis were allo-sperm originating from individual(s) that had participated in prior copulations. We revealed that C. reticulata performed sperm removal using the thorny penis. These results suggest that competition in fertilization is quite intense and mating frequency in the wild is relatively high in this species.

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Observations on the gametolytic gland in the anaspidean opisthobranchs, Phyllaplysia taylori and Aplysia californica

Cited by 17 publications

References 10 publications

Bursa tract diverticulum in the hermaphroditic land snailArianta arbustorum (Stylommatophora: Helicidae): Morphology, function, and evolutionary implications

Bursa tract diverticulum in the hermaphroditic land snailArianta arbustorum (Stylommatophora: Helicidae): Morphology, function, and evolutionary implications

Sexual Conflict in Hermaphrodites

A nudibranch removes rival sperm with a disposable spiny penis

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