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Ultrastructure of the spermatozoon of Macvicaria obovata (Digenea: Opecoelidae), a parasite of Sparus aurata (Pisces: Teleostei) from the Gulf of Gabès, Mediterranean Sea

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia

    Hichem Kacem & Lassad Neifar

  2. CNRS UMR 6134, University of Corsica, Laboratory “Parasites and Mediterranean Ecosystems”, 20250, Corte, Corsica, France

    Yann Quilichini

  3. Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Jordi Torres & Jordi Miquel

  4. Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Jordi Torres & Jordi Miquel

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  1. Hichem Kacem
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  2. Yann Quilichini
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  3. Lassad Neifar
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  4. Jordi Torres
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  5. Jordi Miquel
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Correspondence to Hichem Kacem.

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Kacem, H., Quilichini, Y., Neifar, L. et al. Ultrastructure of the spermatozoon of Macvicaria obovata (Digenea: Opecoelidae), a parasite of Sparus aurata (Pisces: Teleostei) from the Gulf of Gabès, Mediterranean Sea. Acta Parasit. 62, 520–528 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2017-0062

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