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Stages in spermatogenesis of two species of caecilians, Ichthyophis tricolor and Uraeotyphlus cf. narayani (Amphibia: Gymnophiona): Light and electron microscopic study
Author(s) -
Smita Mathew,
Oommen Oommen V.,
Jancy M. George,
Akbarsha M.A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.10231
Subject(s) - biology , spermatogenesis , amphibian , ultrastructure , meiosis , context (archaeology) , zoology , anatomy , evolutionary biology , ecology , genetics , paleontology , gene , endocrinology
The sequential changes during spermatogenesis in the testis of two species of caecilians, Ichthyophis tricolor (Ichthyophiidae) and Uraeotyphlus cf. narayani (Uraeotyphliidae), of Western Ghats of Kerala, India, were traced using both histological techniques and transmission electron microscopy. The cell nests were assigned to stages in spermatogenesis based on the classification of van Oordt (1956, Thesis, Utrecht University). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first identification and ultrastructural description of stages in spermatogenesis in caecilians. The article illustrates not only the stages, but also the cell divisions, mitotic and meiotic, as specified. The observations indicate that, although caecilians have undergone considerable modifications in morphology and anatomy, including reproductive anatomy, in the context of a subterranean and concealed life, they appear to have conserved the typical amphibian pattern of spermatogenesis for the events of development of spermatids. J. Morphol. 261:92–104, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.