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Fine structure of the spermatophores and their ejaculated forms, sperm reservoirs, of the Japanese common squid, Todarodes pacificus
Author(s) -
Takahama Hideki,
Kinoshita Tsutomu,
Sato Michio,
Sasaki Fumie
Publication year - 1991
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.1052070303
Subject(s) - sperm , spermatophore , anatomy , biology , spermatozoon , ampulla , ultrastructure , botany
Abstract Spermatophores in a squid, Todarodes pacificus , were observed by light and electron microscopy and were further analyzed by X‐ray microanalysis (XMA) of frozen thin sections. Each spermatophore consists of a sperm mass, a cement body, an ejaculatory apparatus, and some fluid materials, all of which are covered by an outer tunic. The outer tunic consists of about 20 membranous layers, each containing straight, parallel microgrooves. Each layer's microgroove pattern is roughly in an orthogonal arrangement with respect to the next layer's pattern. The sperm mass, which is the only cellular component, consists of a sperm rope which is coiled more than 500 times. Most of the spermatozoa in the rope are arranged regularly and are enveloped in materials which are well‐stained by Alcian blue. The cement body is located between the sperm mass and ejaculatory apparatus and has a hard outer shell with an arrowhead‐like structure, presumably for penetration into the tissue of the female. Calcium and phosphorus are present in the shell of the cement body, which also has an affinity for alizarin red. The ejaculatory apparatus consists of two tubes, designated as the inner tunic and the inner membrane. After the spermatophoric reaction, a sperm reservoir is formed at the anterior end of the extruded and inverted ejaculatory apparatus. The sperm reservoir, which encases the sperm mass, is composed of the cement body at the anterior end and the inner tunic of the ejaculatory apparatus at the posterior end.