Abstract: The morphology and ultrastructure of Bullacta exarata spermatozoa observed by light and transmission electron microscopy are presented in this paper. The spermatozoa is composed of head with a simple acrosomal complex and an elongated nucleus, and tail with a midpiece, principal piece and an end piece. The midpiece consists of a mitochondrial ring, and the principal piece is composed of axoneme and lateral fin. The structure of B. exarata spermatozoa differs significantly from that of other gastropods, especially in the lateral fin and the principal piece, which was described scarcely before. A comparison is made between B. exarata and other gastropods, and its significance on reproductive evolution and physio-ecological adaptation is preliminarily discussed.

Key words: Bullacta exarata, Spermatozoon, Ultrastructure, Evolution, Physio-ecological adaptation

Please provide your name, email address and a comment

Your Name: Affili: E-Mail Address:

Comment (Please comment in English):


Verification Code(click to change a pic):