The fine structure of the sperm bundles of the coccid,Aspidiotus perniciosus Cumst., and sperm movement |
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Authors: | ZDZISLAW SWIDERSKI |
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Institution: | University of Geneva, Department of Animal Biology, Comparative Anatomy and Physiology , CH—1211 , Geneva 4 , Switzerland |
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Abstract: | The mature sperm of A. perniciosus are organized into bundles, about 350 μm long by 9–10 μm wide. Each bundle contains 32 sperm enclosed by a common sheath. The sperm contains an elongated ‘central core’, representing nuclear material, surrounded by a spiral microtubular sheath and cytoplasm. The electron-dense nuclear material is localized in the more pointed half of the sperm. The spiral microtubular sheath is composed of 30— 100 microtubules (depending on the cross-sectional level), situated parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sperm. On the basis of this ultrastructural organization, the motility of the sperm and sperm bundle as a whole is discussed. The sperm of A. perniciosus provide strong evidence that the microtubules arranged asymmetrically represent the elements directly involved in sperm motility. |
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Keywords: | ultrastructure sperm bundles sperm motility coccid insects |
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