Summary
The ovaries of more than 100 adult nulliparous females of the poeciliid Heterandria formosa were investigated by light and electronmicroscopy. Among these females two hermaphroditic specimens were found. The gonads of the hermaphrodites do not differ externally from those of normal females. In semithin and ultrathin sections female and male parts of the gonad can be distinguished. The female parts are very dominant. The oocytes of the hermaphroditic gonads are in the stage of vitellogenesis. They are enveloped by a thin zona radiata. The heads of completely developed spermatozoa are aligned horseshoe-shaped. Oocytes and spermatozoa adjoin each other directly. Heterandria formosa is the only known abnormal hermaphroditic species of fish in which spermatozoa and mature eggs occur simultaneously in the gonad.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arndt, E.A.: Histologische und histochemische Untersuchungen über die Oogenese und bipolare Differenzierung von Süßwasser-Teleosteern. Protoplasma 47, 1–36 (1956)
Atz, J.W.: Intersexuality in fishes. In: Intersexuality in vertebrates including man. (C.N. Armstrong and A.J. Marshall, eds.), pp. 145–232, London-New York: Academic Press 1964
Bruslé, J., Bruslé, S.: Ovarian and testicular intersexuality in two protogynous Mediterranean groupers, Epinephelus aeneus and Epinephelus guaza. In: Intersexuality in the animal kingdom (R. Reinboth, ed.), pp. 222–227, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1975
D'Ancona, U.: Détermination et différenciation du sexe chez les poissons. Arch. d'Anat. Micro. Morph. Exper. 39, 274–292 (1950)
Ginsburg, I.: Eight new fishes from the Gulf coast of the United States, with two new genera and notes on geographic distribution. J. Washing. Acad. Sci. 42, 84–101 (1952)
James, F.M.: Hermaphroditism in the large mouth bass. J. Morphol. 79, 93–95 (1946)
Lavenda, N.: Sexual differences and normal protogynous hermaphroditism in the Atlantic sea bass, Centropristes striatus. Copeia, no. 3, 185–194 (1949)
Peters, H.M.: Hermaphroditism in cichlid fishes. In: Intersexuality in the animal kingdom (R. Reinboth, ed.), pp. 228–235, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1975
Reinboth, R.: Protogynie bei Chelidoperca hirundinacea (C. &V.) (Serranidae). Ein Diskussionsbeitrag zur Stammesgeschichte amphisexueller Fische. Annot. Zool. Jpn., 40, 181–186 (1967)
Reynolds, E.S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 17, 208–212 (1963)
Sathyanesan, A.G., Pailypillay Joy, K.: An instance of hermaphroditism in the teleost Clarias batrachus (L.). Zool. Jb. Anat. 97, 40–44 (1976)
Sathyanesan, A.G., Ranga Rajan, K.: Occurrence of oocytes in adult testis of the fish Barbus stigma. Sci. Cult. 23, 203 (1957)
Scott, D.B.C.: A hermaphrodite specimen of Coregonus lavaretus (L.) (Salmoniformes, Salmonidae) from Loch Lomond, Scotland. J. Fish Biol. 7, 709 (1975)
Singh, T.P., Sathyanesan, A.G.: An instance of hermaphroditism in the catfish Mystus vittatus. Curr. Sci. 30, 302–303 (1961)
Smith, C.L.: Hermaphroditism in some serranid fishes from Bermuda. Pap. Michigan Acad. Sci. 44, 111–119 (1959)
Smith, C.L.: The pattern of sexuality and the classification of serranid fishes. Amer. Mus. Novit. 2207, 1–20 (1965)
Smith, C.L.: A revision of the American groupers: Epinephelus and allied genera. Bull. Am. Mus. Natl. Hist. 146, 67–242 (1971)
Smith, C.L., Atz, E.M.: The sexual mechanisms of the reef bass Pseudogramma bermudensis and its implications in the classification of the Pseudogrammidae (Pisces: Perciformes). Z. Morphol. Tiere 65, 315–326 (1969)
Srivastava, S.S., Sathyanesan, A.G.: Gonadal changes in response to radiothyroidectomy and thiourea treatment in Mystus vittatus. Anat. Anz. 129, 183–196 (1971)
Van Oordt, G.J.: Zur mikroskopischen Anatomie der Ovariotestes von Serranus and Sargus. Z. Mikr. Anat. Forsch. 19, 1–17 (1929)
Van Oordt, G.J.: Zur Sexualität der Gattung Epinephelus (Serranidae, Teleostei). Z. Mikr. Anat. Forsch. 33, 525–533 (1933)
Wohlfarth-Bottermann, K.E.: Die Kontrastierung tierischer Zellen und Gewebe im Rahmen ihrer elektronenmikroskopischen Untersuchung an ultradünnen Schnitten. Naturwissenschaften 44, 287–288 (1957)
Zohar, Y., Abraham, M., Gordin, H.: The gonadal cycle f the captivity-reared hermaphroditic teleost Sparus aurata (L.) during the first two years of life. Ann. Biol. Anim. Bioch. Biophys. 18, 877–882 (1978)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The author wishes to thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for support
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Riehl, R. The occurrence of spermatozoa in the ovary of nulliparous females of Heterandria formosa Agassiz, 1853 (Pisces, Poeciliidae). Cell Tissue Res. 205, 289–294 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234686
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234686