ISSN : 1225-3480
The ultrastructure of germ cells during spermatogenesis and some characteristics of sperm morphology in male Mytilus coruscus, which was collected on the coastal waters of Gyeokpo in western Korea, were investigated by transmission electron microscope observations. The morphology of the spermatozoon has a primitive type and is similar to those of other bivalves in that it contains a short midpiece with five mitochondria surrounding the centrioles. The morphologies of the sperm nucleus type and the acrosome shape of this species have an oval and modified cone shape, respectively. In particular, the axial rod is observed between the nucleus and acrosome of the sperm. The spermatozoon is approximately 45-50 μm in length including a sperm nucleus (about 1.46 μm in length), an acrosome (about 3.94 μm in length) and tail flagellum (approximately 40-45 μm). The axoneme of the sperm tail flagellum consists of nine pairs of microtubules at the periphery and a pair at the center. The axoneme of the sperm tail shows a 9+2 structure. Some special charateristics of sperm morphology of this species in the genus Mytilus are (1) acrosomal morphology, (2) the number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm, and (3)the existence of a satellite. The axial rod appears in the acrosome and sperm nucleus as one of the characteristics seen in several species of the subclass Pteriomorphia, unlikely the subclass Heterodonta containing axial filament instead of the axial rod. The number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm of this species in the family Mytilidae are five, as one of common characteristics appeared in most species in the family Mytilidae. Most of Mytilus species contain a satellite body which is attached to the proximal centriole in the middle piece of the sperm, as one of common characteristics of sperm morphology in the family Mytilidae.
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