Ultrastructure of gametogenesis in the ovotestis of an estuarine pulmonate slug, Onchidium tigrinum (Stoliczka, 1869)

Ultrastructure of spermatogenesis and gonad somatic cells of a hermaphrodite gland of Eobania vermiculata (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) Müller, 1774 in Egypt

“…Most features of different stages of gametogenesis in E. vermiculata are similar to another terrestrial (Kulkarni, 1973;Rakshit et al, 2005;Roy et al, 2019) and aquatic pulmonate mollusks (Jong-Brink et al, 1976, 1977Bing et al, 2008;Silva et al, 2009). According to their maturation, Successive spermatogenic stages of E. vermiculata were arranged on the basal lamina of acini; spermatids and spermatozoa are usually located near the acinar lumen, while spermatogonia and spermatocytes found near the basal lamina which is similar to other pulmonate molluscs (Hodgson, 1986;Roy et al, 2016Roy et al, , 2018. As in another gastropod spermatogenesis, the morphology of the spermatogonium and spermatocyte shows little changes, the spermatogonium of E. vermiculata is small and cytoplasmic organelle are poorly developed, while the spermatocytes had more cytoplasmic space with many elongate mitochondria than the previous stage.…”

“…The hermaphrodite gland of E. vermiculata had two types of gonadal somatic cells; Sertoli cells and follicle cells. Many studies in other pulmonates have reported that the Sertoli cells are spermatogenesisspecific while follicle cells are oogenesis-specific (Eckelbarger and Blades-Eckelbarger, 1989;Rakshit et al, 2005;Roy et al, 2018Roy et al, , 2019. It was found that the Sertoli cells of E. vermiculata had two types, cortical Sertoli cells and Luminal Sertoli cells, which can be distinguished according to their location in the acini and morphological features.…”

“…The pulmonate molluscs are usually hermaphrodites and their gonad is termed an ovotestis or hermaphrodite gland (Heller, 1990(Heller, , 2001Roy et al, 2019). The ovotestis is composed of many acini in which both male and female gametes are formed (Luchtel, 1972a, b;Jong-Brink et al, 1976;Rakshit et al, 2005;Roy et al, 2018Roy et al, , 2019.…”