The handling and fate of spermatophores in Neoentobdella diadema and N. apiocolpos (Monogenea: Capsalidae: Entobdellinae)

Title:

The handling and fate of spermatophores in Neoentobdella diadema and N. apiocolpos (Monogenea: Capsalidae: Entobdellinae)

Creator:

Kearn, Graham C., Whittington, Ian D., and Euzet, Louis

Identifier:

https://cdk.lib.cas.cz/client/handle/uuid:1eeec099-aff8-4c48-888d-563a81b47a0b
uuid:1eeec099-aff8-4c48-888d-563a81b47a0b
doi:10.14411/fp.2006.005

Subject:

Monogenea, Entobdellinae, Neoentobdella diadema, Neoentobdella apiocolpos, Entobdella soleae, and spermatophores

Type:

model:article and TEXT

Format:

bez média and svazek

Description:

The elongated encased spermatophores of the capsalid (entobdelline) monogeneans Neoentobdella diadema (Monticelli, 1902) Kearn et Whittington, 2005 and N. apiocolpos (Euzet et Maillard, 1967) Kearn et Whittington, 2005 have been found attached by their proximal ends to the region of the vaginal opening, with the bulk of the spermatophore projecting from the vagina and therefore lying outside the body. In spite of previous reports, no spermatophores were found projecting from the common genital opening and if spermatophore exchange is as rapid as it is in the related entobdelline Entobdella soleae, then the chances of finding a spermatophore in this location are small. In N. diadema and N. apiocolpos it is likely that sperm enters the vagina through the open proximal end of an attached spermatophore, after which the empty spermatophore case is probably discarded. There is no evidence for a previous proposal that the whole spermatophore is engulfed by the vagina followed by digestion of the case to release the sperm. Three specimens of N. diadema were found each with two spermatophore cases projecting from the vagina and a specimen of N. apiocolpos carried three cases. Assuming that each parasite is able to donate or receive only one spermatophore at each mating, then the presence of one spermatophore does not prevent a further mating and acceptance of a fresh spermatophore. In spite of differences between the spermatophores of E. soleae and N. diadema/N. apiocolpos, the events of spermatophore exchange may be similar.

Language:

English

Rights:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
policy:public

Coverage:

57-62

Source:

Folia parasitologica | 2006 Volume:53 | Number:1

Harvested from:

CDK

Metadata only:

false