Comparative ultrastructural investigation of the eu- and paraspermatozoa of 13Protodrilus species (Polychaeta, Annelida) and its taxonomical and phylogenetical implications

Nordheim, Henning von

doi:10.1007/bf02367895

Cited by 23 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…An invagination of the plasma membrane between midpiece and flagellum has been observed in a few other species belonging to various taxa but not in the Clitellata (see Franzén and Rice 1988;Nordheim 1989;Rice 1992). To date no such annuli have been found between acrosome and nucleus; thus their presence is evidently an autapomorphy of P. heideri.…”

Section: Spermatozoa and Spermatogenesismentioning

confidence: 95%

Male genital organs, spermatogenesis and spermatozoa in the enigmatic terrestrial polychaete Parergodrilus heideri (Annelida, Parergodrilidae)

Purschke

2002

Zoomorphology

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The terrestrial polychaete species Parergodrilus heideri (Parergodrilidae) has many features in common with the Clitellata and with Hrabeiella periglandulata, another terrestrial species of the Annelida. An ultrastructural investigation of the male genital organs, spermatogenesis and spermatozoa was undertaken in P. heideri to elucidate whether similarities to these taxa might exhibit adaptive characters typical of terrestrial annelids in general or synapomorphies. In P. heideri the male organs consist of a pair of seminal vesicles situated in chaetigers 6-9 and two pairs of ciliated sperm ducts opening into a genital atrium together with numerous accessory gland cells in chaetiger 10. In addition, the enlarged chaetae of this last chaetiger are probably copulatory chaetae. The seminal vesicles consist of coelomic spaces supplied with blood vessels. The vesicles originate from the mesentery, where the pair of testes are also found. Mitotic divisions within the testes produce spermatogonia, which are released into the vesicles where they undergo further divisions. The spermatids develop on typical cytophores although only four cells are present on each cytophore. In contrast to previous reports, the spermatozoa are of the so-called modified type; the head comprises the elongated acrosome and nucleus, and in the midpiece eight ovoid mitochondria surround the distal centriole, which gives rise to the axoneme. A small proximal centriole is present, which is oriented parallel to the distal one. Acrosome and tail are set off by two prominent infoldings of the cell membrane. The specific characters observed in P. heideri are typical of species with direct transfer of sperm and internal fertilisation. However, there are no synapomorphies with either the Clitellata or H. periglandulata; the similarities between these terrestrial Annelida are very likely due to a corresponding reproductive biology in similar habitats and thus do not reflect a common ancestor.

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Section: Spermatozoa and Spermatogenesismentioning

confidence: 95%

Male genital organs, spermatogenesis and spermatozoa in the enigmatic terrestrial polychaete Parergodrilus heideri (Annelida, Parergodrilidae)

Purschke

2002

Zoomorphology

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“…The mitochondrial derivatives can be recognized from the description of the sperm in Protodrilus spp. (Nordheim 1989b). The supporting elements appear to be made up of fibrillar material and to be attached to one another (Fig.…”

Section: Euspermatozoamentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The general structure of euspermatozoa and paraspermatozoa as filiform cells comprising acrosome, nucleus, midpiece and tail is basically the same as in Protodrilus. This is especially the case for the euspermatozoa, in which a characteristic midpiece is reinforced by symmetrically arranged supporting elements (Nordheim 1989b).…”

Section: Ultrastructure Of Spermatozoamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ultrastructure of the spermatozoa of Parenterodrilus taenioides (Protodrilida: ?Polychaeta?) and its phylogenetic significance

Jouin-Toulmond

Purschke

2004

Zoomorphology

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The interstitial annelid Parenterodrilus taenioides from coral sands of the island of Moorea (French Polynesia) is a mouthless species characterized by a vestigial non-functioning alimentary canal and a distinctive body shape. It is the only known annelid that has a nonfunctioning gut and no symbiotic bacteria. Parenterodrilus is thought to represent the sister group of the well-known taxon Protodrilus, generally recognized as Protodrilidae. An ultrastructural study revealed that, as in Protodrilus spp., the males of P. taenioides have lateral organs, i.e. paired epidermal, glandular and ciliated grooves, in the anterior body region where the sperm ducts are located. As in Protodrilus two types of spermatozoa were found, commonly called euspermatozoa and paraspermatozoa. Both types are filiform and the euspermatozoa, like those in Protodrilus spp., have a characteristic midpiece reinforced by symmetrically arranged supporting structures and reduced mitochondria. The ultrastructure of the spermatozoa in P. taenioides and Protodrilus spp. is basically the same but the species can be distinguished from each other on the basis of particular structural details of spermatozoa and the pattern of lateral organs. The two types of spermatozoa and the epidermal lateral organs are unique features of these two taxa; as they are not present in any other potentially related taxon, such as Saccocirrus and Protodriloides, they very likely represent autapomorphies of Protodrilidae. In Protodrilus spp. spermatophores are deposited on the epidermis of the females, whereupon sperm are released and penetrate the body wall. Since in polychaetes the structure of the sperm is correlated with the fertilization biology, the similar structure of sperm suggests that sperm transfer and fertilization are very probably the same in P. taenioides as in Protodrilus.

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“…Adaptations that facilitate reproduction in Protodrilus include transfer of sperm by spermatophores deposited in the external milieu and then collected by the female epidermis and internal fertilization ( Jägersten 1952, Jouin 1970, von Nordheim 1989, 1991a,b, Purschke 2006. The eggs are spawned and attached on sand grains; the larvae have a pelagic life, and metamorphosis depends on the availability of suitable habitat substratum ( Jägersten 1952).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Protodrilidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Hawaiian Islands and Comparison with Specimens from French Polynesia

2010

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Comparative ultrastructural investigation of the eu- and paraspermatozoa of 13Protodrilus species (Polychaeta, Annelida) and its taxonomical and phylogenetical implications

Cited by 23 publications

References 36 publications

Male genital organs, spermatogenesis and spermatozoa in the enigmatic terrestrial polychaete Parergodrilus heideri (Annelida, Parergodrilidae)

Male genital organs, spermatogenesis and spermatozoa in the enigmatic terrestrial polychaete Parergodrilus heideri (Annelida, Parergodrilidae)

Ultrastructure of the spermatozoa of Parenterodrilus taenioides (Protodrilida: ?Polychaeta?) and its phylogenetic significance

Protodrilidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Hawaiian Islands and Comparison with Specimens from French Polynesia

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