Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies of the female gonad of Prorhynchus sp. (Platyhelminthes, Lecithoepitheliata)

  • Anatomy and ultrastructure
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The female gonad of Prorhynchus is heterocellular (neoophoran organization) and consists of an unpaired, elongate germovitellarium enveloped by a finely granular extracellular lamina. It is composed of a posterior germinative area where early oocytes are randomly associated with differentiating vitellocytes and a growth area with follicular organization. In each follicle a single oocyte is surrounded by a layer of vitellocytes. By electron microscopy, the oocytes showed features typical of non-vitellogenic germ cells; they had chromatoid bodies, annulate lamellae, lipid droplets and R.E.R. and Golgi complexes producing small granules with a multilamellar pattern. Vitellocytes showed features typical of secretory cells with the R.E.R. and Golgi complex developed to a great extent and involved in the production of type A and type B globules, respectively. We speculate that type A globules are shell-globules and type B globules are yolk. The structure, composition and role of vitellocyte globules of Prorhynchus are compared with those of homologous inclusions from other Platyhelminthes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

A:

type A globule

B:

type B globule

ECL:

extracellular lamina

GC:

Golgi complex

L:

lipid

RER:

rough endoplasmic reticulum

O:

oocyte

V:

vitellocyte

References

  • Antoniazzi, M. M. & M. Silveira, 1992. Pharyngeal and gastrodermal ultrastructure of Prorhynchus stagnalis Schulze, 1851 (Turbellaria, Lecithoepiteliata). Acta zool. 73: 255–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ax, P., 1987. The Phylogenetic system. The systematization of organisms on the basis of their phylogenesis. J. Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 249 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Böckerman, I., O. I. Raikova, M. Reuter & O. Timoshkin, 1995. Ultrastructure of the nerve cells and sensilla of Geocentrophora baltica (Platyhelminthes, Lecithoepitheliata) and the surface sensillae in the Geocentrophora group. Hydrobiologia 305 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 108): 183–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogolyubov, D. S. & O. A. Timoshkin, 1993. Comparative characteristics of the female gonads of the Lecithoepitheliata (Plathelminthes) with remarks on the taxonomy of the order. Zool. Zh. 72: 17–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bresslau, E., 1928–33. Turbellaria. In W. Kukenthal & T. Krumbach (eds), Handbuch der Zoologie. Vol. II, Part 1. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin: 52–304.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coil, W. H., 1991. Platyhelminthes: Cestoidea. In F. W. Harrison and B. J. Bogitsh (eds), Microscopic Anatomy of Invertebrates. Vol. 3. Platyhelminthes and Nemertinea. Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York: 211–283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R. E. & L. S. Roberts, 1983. Platyhelminthes-Eucestoda. In K. G. Adiyodi & R. G. Adiyodi (eds), Reproductive Biology of Invertebrates. Vol. 1, Oogenesis, oviposition and oosorption. J. Wiley & Sons, Chichester: 109–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domenici, L. & V. Gremigni, 1977. Fine structure and functional role of the coverings of the eggs in Mesostoma ehrenbergii (Focke) (Turbellaria, Neorhabdocoela). Zoomorphology 88: 247–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehlers, U., 1985. Phylogenetic relationships within the Platyhelminthes. In S. Conway Morris, J. D. George, R. Gibson & H. M. Platt (eds), The origins and relationships of lower invertebrates. Oxford University Press, Oxford: 143–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falleni, A. & V. Gremigni, 1989. Egg covering formation in the acoel Convoluta psammophila (Platyhelminthes, Turbellaria): an ultrastructural and cytochemical investigation. Acta Embryol. Morphol. Exper. n.s. 10: 105–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falleni, A. & V. Gremigni, 1990. Ultrastructural study of oogenesis in the acoel turbellariun Convoluta. Tissue Cell 22: 301–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fried, B. & M. Haseeb, 1991. Platyhelminthes: Aspidogastrea, Monogenea and Digenea. In F. W. Harrison, B. J. Bogitsh (eds), Microscopic Anatomy of Invertebrates. Vol. 3. Platyhelminthes and Nemertinea. Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York: 141–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gremigni, V., 1983. Platyhelminthes-Turbellaria. In K. G. Adiyodi & R. G. Adiyodi (eds), Reproductive Biology of Invertebrates. Vol. 1. Oogenesis, oviposition and oosorption. J. Wiley & Sons, Chichester: 67–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gremigni, V., 1988. A comparative ultrastructural study of homocellular and heterocellular female gonads in free-living Platyhelminthes-Turbellaria. Fortschr. Zool. 36: 245–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gremigni, V. & A. Falleni, 1991. Ultrastructural features of cocoonshell globules in the vitelline cells of neoophoran platyhelminths. Hydrobiologia 227: (Dev. Hydrobiol. 69): 105–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gremigni, V. & A. Falleni, 1992. Mechanisms of shell-granule and yolk production in oocytes and vitellocytes of Platyhelminthes-Turbellaria. Anim. Biol. 1: 29–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyman, L. H., 1951. The Invertebrates. II. Platyhelminthes and Rhynchocoela. The Acoelomate Bilateria. Mc Graw-Hill, New York, 550 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karling, T. G., 1940. Zur Morphologie und Systematik der Alloecoela Cumulata und Rhabdocoela Lecithophora (Turbellaria). Acta zool. fenn. 26: 1–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karling, T. G., 1968. On the genus Gnosonesima Reisinger (Turbellaria). Sarsia 33: 81–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locke, M. & N. Krishnan, 1971. The distribution of polyphenoloxidases and polyphenols during cuticle formation. Tissue Cell 3: 103–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucchesi, P., A. Falleni & V. Gremigni, 1995. The ultrastructure of the germanium in some Rhabdocoela. Hydrobiologia 305 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 108): 207–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nigro, M. & V. Gremigni, 1987. Ultrastruxtural features of oogenesis in a free-living marine platyhelminth, Vorticeros luteum. Tissue Cell 19: 377–386.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reisinger, E., 1968. Xenoprorhynchus ein Modellfall für progressiven Funktionswechsel. Z. Zool. Syst. Evolutionsforsch. 6: 1–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieger, R. M., 1981. Morphology of the Turbellaria at the ultrastructural level. Hydrobiologia 84: 213–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieger, R. M., S. Tyler, J. P. S. Smith & G. E. Rieger, 1991. Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria. In F. W. Harrison & B. J. Bogitsh (eds), Microscopic Anatomy of Invertebrates. Vol. 3. Platyhelminthes and Nemertinea. Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York: 7–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rohde, K. & N. Watson, 1991. Ultrastructure of the flame bulbs and photonephridial capillaries of Prorhynchus (Lecithoepitheliata, Prorhynchidae, Turbellaria). Zool. Scr. 20: 99–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shinn, G. L., 199.3. Formation of egg capsules by flatworms (Phylum Platyhelminthes). Trans. am. Microsc. Soc. 112: 18–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. P. S., M. B. Thomas, R. M. Chandler & S. Zane, 1988. Granular inclusions in the oocytes of Convoluta sp., Nemertoderma sp., and Nemertinoides elongatus (Turbellaria, Acoelomorpha). Fortschr. Zool. 36: 263–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. P. S., S. Tyler & R. M. Rieger, 1986. Is the Turbellaria polyphyletic? Hydrobiologia 132 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 32): 13–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smyth, S. D. & D. W. Halton, 1983. The Physiology of Trematodes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 417 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinböck, O., 1927. Monographie der Prorhynchidae (Turbellaria). Z. Morph. Okol. Tiere 8: 538–662.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiéry, J. P., 1967. Mise en évidence des polysaccharides sur coupes fines en microscopie électronique. J. Microscopie 6: 987–989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timoshkin, O. A., 1991. Turbellaria Lecithoepitheliata: morphology, systematics, phylogeny. Hydrobiologia 227: (Dev. Hydrobiol. 69): 323–332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, N. A. & K. Rohde, 1992. Ultrastructure of the pharynx of Prorhynchus (Platyhelminthes, Lecithoepitheliata). Zool. Scr. 21: 325–533.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, N. A. & K. Rohde, 1993. Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and spermatozoa in Prorhynchus sp. (Platyhelminthes, Lecithoepitheliata, Prorhynchidae). Invertebr. Reprod. Dev. 23: 215–223.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biomedicina Sperimentale, Sez. Biologia e Genetica, via A. Volta 4, Universitá di Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy

    Alessandra Falleni, Paolo Lucchesi & Vittorio Gremigni

Authors
  1. Alessandra Falleni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paolo Lucchesi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vittorio Gremigni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Falleni, A., Lucchesi, P. & Gremigni, V. Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies of the female gonad of Prorhynchus sp. (Platyhelminthes, Lecithoepitheliata). Hydrobiologia 305, 199–206 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036387

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036387

Key words

Search

Navigation