Spermiogenesis and sperm ultrastructure of Deropristis Inflata Molin, 1859 (Digenea, Deropristidae), a parasite of Anguilla anguilla.

• Published in: Parasitology Research
• Main Authors: Foata, Joséphine, Quilichini, Yann, Marchand, Bernard
• Other Authors: Parasites et Ecosystèmes Méditerranéens (PEM), Université Pascal Paoli (UPP)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Sciences pour l'environnement (SPE)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2007
• Subjects: MESH: Anguilla; MESH: Animals; MESH: Fish Diseases; MESH: Male; MESH: Microscopy; Electron; MESH: Spermatogenesis; MESH: Spermatozoa; MESH: Trematoda; MESH: Trematode Infections; [SDV.MP.PAR]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Parasitology; Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00288882; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0550-7

International audience To our knowledge, this paper describes the first ultrastructural results on spermiogenesis and the spermatozoon of a Digenea belonging to the family Deropristidae, Deropristis inflata. Spermiogenesis follows the usual pattern found in the digeneans, but a single noteworthy characteristic concerns the centriole, which presents a "prominent pear-shaped electron-dense region." Spermiogenesis in D. inflata begins with the formation of a differentiation zone. The two centrioles give rise to flagella. These two flagella undergo a rotation of 90 degrees and fuse with the median cytoplasmic process. The proximo-distal fusion occurs at the level of attachment zones. The mature spermatozoon of D. inflata possesses five regions and presents all the features found in the digenean gamete. However, several characteristics allow us to distinguish the spermatozoon of D. inflata from other digenetic trematoda, namely the external ornamentations of the plasmic membrane, the anterior and posterior extremities. Furthermore, the distal part of the nucleus in front of those of the mitochondria appears such a distinctive criterion in the spermatozoon of this species. Our ultrastructural investigations produce new data on the reproduction of D. inflata, which may be useful for the understanding of the phylogenetic relationships in the Deropristidae family.