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Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access published online on April 1, 2009
Journal of Molluscan Studies, doi:10.1093/mollus/eyp014
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

SPERM ULTRASTRUCTURE AND SPERMATOGENESIS IN THE HYDROTHERMAL VENT GASTROPOD RHYNCHOPELTA CONCENTRICA (PELTOSPIRIDAE)

Alan N. Hodgson1, Kevin J. Eckelbarger2 and Craig M Young3

1Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa; 2Darling Marine Center, 193 Clark's Cove Road, Walpole, ME 04573, USA; and 3Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon, PO Box 5389, Charleston, OR 97420, USA

Correspondence: A.N. Hodgson; e-mail: A.Hodgson{at}ru.ac.za


  Abstract

The sperm and spermatogenesis in the aphallic hydrothermal vent gastropod Rhynchopelta concentrica are described by transmission electron microscopy. Only euspermatozoa were found in the specimens studied. Spermatozoa are filiform introsperm, confirming that this species has internal fertilization. The sperm have an elongate nucleus (which has an intranuclear canal for most of its length) capped by a needle-like acrosome that is invaginated posteriorly. A small basal plate lies between the base of the acrosome and the nucleus. The mid-piece consists of numerous small mitochondria with poorly developed cristae housed in a cytoplasmic sleeve, the inner region of which forms an electron-dense tube extending along the axoneme. As is typical of vetigastropod and neritimorph sperm, there is no glycogen piece. Spermatogenesis is similar to that described for many gastropods, although aspects of nuclear and mid-piece/flagellum formation resemble those described for neritimorphs.

(Received 29 September 2008; accepted 28 January 2009)


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