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Type: Articles
Published: 2005-08-31
Page range: 99–112
Abstract views: 48
PDF downloaded: 0

Reproduction involving spermatophores in four bivalve genera of the superfamily Galeommatoidea commensal with holothurians

Biological Institute, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Ishigaki Tropical Station, Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0451, Japan
Museum of Zoology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 49109-1079, USA
Anisodevonia Cycladoconcha Devonia Entovalva hermaphroditism sperm ultrastructure Mollusca

Abstract

Spermatophores consisting of a mass of mature sperm encapsulated within a solid, inflexible wall are described from five species of the genera Anisodevonia, Entovalva and Devonia, and obviously also occur in Cycladoconcha. The spermatophores are attached to the gill lamellae in the suprabranchial chamber in which these species brood the eggs. The ultrastructure of the monomorphic sperm of Anisodevonia ohshimai shows many similarities to the euspermatozoa of species of Pseudopythina and Barrimysia (families Kellidae and Montacutidae). Entovalva sp. A and sp. B Jenner and McCrary, 1967 are not related to any of the four studied genera.