Ultrastructure of euspermatozoa and paraspermatozoa in the marine gastropod Adelomelon beckii (Caenogastropoda, Volutidae)

Abstract

The sperm morphology of Adelomelon beckii is described by optical and transmission electron microscopy. Both euspermatozoa and paraspermatozoa were found in the specimens studied. Euspermatozoa are Wliform and have an elongate nucleus capped by an acrosome. A small basal plate lies between the base of the acrosome and the nucleus. The mid-piece consists of U-shaped mitochondria wrapped helically around the central axoneme. A dense annulus at the junction of the mid-piece and glycogen piece is found, ending in a short end-piece, composed of the axoneme surrounded by a plasma membrane. Two types of paraspermatozoa are found, both vermiform but diVering internally with respect to the disposition and number of axonemes, as well as to the types of secretory vesicles. We suggest the use of paraspermatozoa as a systematic character to reveal phylogenetic relationships in this family.

Euspermatozoa and paraspermatozoa in the volutid gastropod Odontocymbiola magellanica, Patagonia, Argentina, Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

“…The mitochondrial elements and the constriction in the posterior acrosomal invagination, however, are features shared only with other volutids (Giménez et al 2008;Zabala et al 2009;Arrighetti and Giménez 2010). Many neogastropods and some mesogastropods, like Potamididae, show uniformly electron-dense mitochondrial elements (Kohnert and Storch 1984;Koike 1985) other present a nonhelical arrangement of mitochondrial elements (Suwanjarat and Suwaluk 2003).…”

“…Recently, however, detailed studies have been undertaken on some volutid species, which have provided much-needed base data on the timing and extent of reproduction (Penchaszadeh and De Mahieu 1976;Penchaszadeh 2002, 2003;Giménez et al 2004Giménez et al , 2005Bigatti et al 2008). Previous studies on spermatozoa in volutids have been conducted in Zidona dufresnei (Giménez et al 2008), Adelomelon ancilla ) and Adelomelon beckii (Arrighetti and Giménez 2010), all of them are members of the Zidoninae subfamily. As an extension of this work in the Volutidae family, we present the first ultrastructural study of sperm morphology in Odontocymbiola magellanica (Gmelin, 1791), which is included in Odontocymbiolinae subfamily.…”

Gametogenesis, seasonal reproduction and imposex of Adelomelon beckii (Neogastropoda: Volutidae) in Mar del Plata, Argentina

“…The testis of Adelomelon beckii is also similar to other volutids (Giménez & Penchaszadeh 2002, Cledón et al 2005a, Bigatti et al 2008, Penchaszadeh et al 2009), as are the general features of spermatogenesis and sperm morphology (Giménez et al 2008), which are detailed in Arrighetti (2009 and Arrighetti & Giménez (2010).…”

“…Its large muscular foot is used for human consumption and its large attractive shell is sold in local and international markets as an artisanal product. Despite its impressive size and increasing importance as a fishery resource, little is known about its biology, except for some ultrastructural aspects of reproduction , Arrighetti & Giménez 2010. Previous studies have focused on aspects such as reproduction, growth and fishery of several volutids (Zidona dufresnei, Giménez & Penchaszadeh 2002, Giménez et al 2004, 2005A.…”

Age, growth and mortality in the giant snail Adelomelon beckii (Broderip 1836) on the Argentinean shelf

“…Despite its impressing size and its increasing significance as a fishery resource, surprisingly little is known about the biology of A. beckii and its role in the ecosystem. There have been studies on ultrastructural aspects of reproduction (Giménez et al, 2009;Arrighetti and Giménez, 2010), and a description of its reproductive cycle and size at first sexual reproduction (Arrighetti and Penchaszadeh, 2010a, b).…”