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The sperm structure of Galloisiana yuasai (Insecta, Grylloblattodea) and implications for the phylogenetic position of Grylloblattodea

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Abstract

The sperm ultrastructure of the Grylloblattodea Galloisiana yuasai was described and the sperm characters were comparatively examined in several orthopteroid insect orders for inferring the phylogenetic placement of the Grylloblattodea. The spermatozoa of G. yuasai are joined in bundles (spermatodesms) containing 200 units. Major features of these spermatozoa include a monolayered acrosome, a 9+9+2 axoneme with 16-pfs accessory microtubules and expanded intertubular material, and an evident “centriole adjunct”. The diffused material observed between the axoneme and the mitochondrial derivatives is considered to be an extension of the three connecting bands observed in other orthopteroid taxa, similar to what happens in some orthopteran lineages. The presence of the connecting bands, even though modified in G. yuasai, suggests that the Grylloblattodea are to be placed in a clade with Mantophasmatodea, Mantodea and Orthoptera.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank P.P. Fanciulli, E. Paccagnini, D. Mercati, F. Giusti and E. Malatesta for helping us in the preparation of the manuscript. The study was supported by grants from P.A.R. (University of Siena) to R.D.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Siena, Via A.Moro 2, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Romano Dallai, Pietro Lupetti & Francesco Frati

  2. Sugadaira Montane Reseach Center, University of Tsukuba, Sanada, Nagano, Japan

    Ryuichiro Machida & Toshiki Uchifune

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  1. Romano Dallai
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  2. Ryuichiro Machida
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  3. Toshiki Uchifune
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  4. Pietro Lupetti
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  5. Francesco Frati
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Correspondence to Romano Dallai.

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Dallai, R., Machida, R., Uchifune, T. et al. The sperm structure of Galloisiana yuasai (Insecta, Grylloblattodea) and implications for the phylogenetic position of Grylloblattodea. Zoomorphology 124, 205–212 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-005-0007-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-005-0007-4

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