Abstract
The ultrastructural organization of the spermatozoon of the digenean Macvicaria obovata (Opecoelidae) is described by transmission electron microscopy. Alive digeneans were collected from the digestive tract of Sparus aurata (Teleostei, Sparidae), caught from the Gulf of Gabès in Chebba, Tunisia (Eastern Mediterranean Sea). The male gamete of M. obovata is a filiform cell, tapered at both extremities and exhibits typical characters such as two axonemes of different lengths showing the 9+‘1’ trepaxonematan pattern, a nucleus, mitochondria, two bundles of parallel cortical microtubules, external ornamentation of the plasma membrane, spine-like bodies and granules of glycogen. Cortical microtubules are absent in the anterior spermatozoon extremity and appear after the disappearance of the electron-dense material. The first mitochondrion is of moniliform type and it is associated with the external ornamentation of the plasma membrane and spine-like bodies. The second mitochondrion is more posteriorly located, reaching the nuclear region. The present study provides new data on the mature male gamete of M. obovata that may be useful for the understanding of digenean relationships and phylogenetic studies.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the staff of the „Centres Científics i Tecnològics„ of the University of Barcelona (CC- TiUB) for their assistance.
References
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