THE EGG MASS OF LITTORINA OBTUSATA AND LACUNA PALLIDULA (GASTROPODA : PROSOBRANCHIA)

The egg masses of Littorina obtusata and of Lacuna pallidulahave been compared with regard to size, shape, egg number, eggsize and substratum. The structure and histochemistry of thespawn of the two species has been investigated and observationson the laying process in L. obtusata are also recorded. ^* Present address: Portway School, Penpole Lane, Shirehampion,Bristol, BS11 0EB. (Received 12 October 1977;     

COMPARATIVE KARYOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FIVE SPECIES OF VIVIPARUS (GASTROPODA: PROSOBRANCHIA)

Karyological analysis was performed on Viviparus ater (Cristofori& Jan, 1832), V. acerosus Bourguignat, 1862, V. mamillatus (Kuster),V. viviparus (Linnaeus, 1758) and V. contectus (Millet, 1813),collected from different freshwater bodies of Switzerland, Hungary,Albania, Italy and Lithuania. The karyotypes of V. acerosusand V. mamillatus are described for the first time. The diploidnumber of chromosomes in V. contectus equals 14, whereas indiploid sets of other studied species, 18 chromosomes are present.The karyotype formula is in V. contectus (5m + 2sm, NF = 28,in V. ater, 7m + 1sm-m + 1 sm, in V. acerosus and V. viviparus,8m + 1sm, NF = 36, in V. mamillatus, 6m + 1m-sm + 1sm-m + 1sm,NF = 36. In females of V. ater, V. mamillatus and V. acerosus,the heteromorphism of chromosome pair no. 8 was observed, witha sex-determining mechanism — ZW female /ZZ male. Although,Z and W chromosomes are metacentric, significant differences(P > 0.05, or P > 0.001) in their size were determined.The interspecific significant differences (P > 0.05) in karyotypesof V. ater, V. mamillatus, V. acerosus and V. viviparus weredetected by using one-way ANOVA and Bonferronis Multiple Comparisontests. Only chromosomes of the pair no. 5 were of similar shapein all of these species. The smallest interspecific differencewas between V. viviparus and V. acerosus. The intraspecifickaryological differences in relative chromosome length and centromericindex of V. contectus from lakes Garda (Italy), Olauka andAsveja (Lithuania) were observed in the chromosome pair no.5. (Received 29 March 1999; accepted 19 October 1999)     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CHROMOSOMES IN FOUR SPECIES OF THEODOXUS (GASTROPODA: NERITIDAE)

Karyological analysis was performed on Theodoxusbaeticus (Lamarck,1822), T. valentina (Graells, 1846),T. velascoi (Graells, 1846)and T. fluviatilis(Linne, 1758), collected from freshwaterbodies of easternSpain. Cells possessing diploid chromosomenumbers of 2n 5 25 weremost common in the tissues of males,whilst 2n 5 26 was most prevalentin females. The sixth pairof chromosomes had only one homologue inmitotic cells of males,indicating the XO/XX sex-determiningmechanism. The absolutelength of chromosomes ranged from 1.65 to 6.33mm. The relativesizes of chromosomes varied from 3.92 to 13.33% ofthe totalhaploid set length. In all species chromosome pairs no. 1,4,7-13 were composed of metacentric, pairs no. 5 and 6ofsubmetacentricchromosomes. Pairs no. 2 and 3 were submetacentric,subtelocentricor submeta- subtelocentric according to the speciesstudied.There were significant differences (P, 0.05) among therelativelength, as well as centromeric indices of differentchromosomepairs across the species. Karyological differences weregreatestbetween T. fluviatilis and three otherTheodoxus species. (Received 6 March 2000; accepted 8 May 2000)     

EMBRYONIC ABNORMALITIES IN POPULATIONS OF LITTORINA SAXATILIS (OLIVI) (GASTROPODA: PROSOBRANCHIA) IN THE WHITE SEA

The incidence of abnormally developing embryos in brood pouchesof females was studied in five populations of Littorina saxatilisliving under different salinity conditions. The proportion ofabnormals decreased during embryonic development. Age of femaleand infection with the ciliate Protophrya ovi-cola had no effecton the frequency of abnormals. The proportion of abnormal eggs(PAE) increased at the end of the reproductive season; a similartrend was found for the proportion of abnormal veligers (PAV)although it was not always significant. The proportion of abnormaljuveniles (PAJ) showed no seasonality. The increase of PAE coincidedwith decrease of water temperature in September. Environmentalsalinity was significantly correlated with frequency of abnormalsin L. saxatilis populations: the highest values of PAV and PAJwere observed in estuarine population (salinity range 5–8%),intermediate in populations living under conditions of 10–20%osalinityand lowest in control populations (23–24%). Itis suggested that critical salinity (sensu Khle-bovich, 1974)(approximately 8–10%) may also be a crucial point forstability of embryonic development in the White Sea populationsof L. saxatilis. (Received 28 June 1994; accepted 28 November 1994)     

SIZE-ASSORTATIVE MATING IN A NATURAL POPULATION OF VIVIPARUS ATER (GASTROPODA: PROSOBRANCHIA) IN LAKE ZURICH, SWITZERLAND

The number of mating pairs, the size of the mating partners,and the distribution of individuals of Vivi-parus ater on agrid in Lake Zürich were recorded during one breeding seasonin 1990. There was positive assortative mating with respectto shell size. The proportion of copulating individuals rangedfrom 1% to 6% (average 3%) of the active population at any onetime. Individual snails copulated 60 times on average from Apriluntil November. Snails were abundant and copulated in shallowwater close to the shore in Spring. They moved towards deeperareas in Autumn. V. ater copulated on all substrates at anydepth (1–9 m)of the grid. The spatial distribution ofcopulations throughout the summer reflected the pattern of snailabundance. (Received 29 January 1993; accepted 14 November 1994)     

HAEMOCYTES OF THE FRESHWATER SNAIL VIVIPARUS ATER (GASTROPODA, PROSOBRANCHIA)

Morphological and functional characteristics of the haemocytesof Viviparus ater were studied. Only one cell type occurs inthe haemolymph: the spreading haemocyte. These cells have thesame functions as blood cells belonging to the spreading typefound in other gastropods. It is also suggested that the spreadinghaemocytes represent the ancestral cell responsible for defencemechanisms. (Received 18 May 1988; accepted 19 August 1988)     

AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY OF EUSPERMATOZOA, PARASPERMATOZOA AND NURSE CELLS OF THE COWRIE CYPRAEA ERRONES (GASTROPODA, PROSOBRANCHIA, CYPRAEIDAE)

The sperm duct of the cowrie Cypraea errones Linné containseuspermatozoa, paraspermatozoa and nurse celts, the latter bearingclumps of attached euspermatozoa. Nurse cell/euspermatozoa associationshave been described in certain littorinacean gastropods, butare previously unrecorded in the Cypraeacea. Euspermatozoa ofC. errones resemble those of many other mesogastropods and someneogastropods (for example members of the Strombidae, Epitoniidae,Naticidae, Volutidae; shared features include structure of theacrosome, nucleus, glycogen piece, and helically coiled midpieceelements). However in C. errones, radially arranged paracrystallinefibres partly occupy the space between adjacent midpiece elements.Paracrystalline material is only rarely observed in spermatozoaof prosobranch gastropods and in all cases (including C. errones),is readily discernible form the complex paracrystalline layerspresent in the mitochondria) derivative of opisthobranch andpulmonate spermatozoa. Paraspermatozoa of C. errones are elongate,vermiform cells containing: multiple axonemes (bunched anteriorly,peripherally distributed posteriorly); granulated deposits (anteriorly);numerous dense vesicles (posteriorly) and scattered mitochondria(elongate, with parallel cristae). The axonemal attachment complexesfuse apically to form a sharp, conical structure. Comparisonwith available electron microscopic and light microscopic accountsof prosobranch euspermatozoa and paraspermatozoa suggests closeties between the higher Mesogastropoda (with which the Cypraeidaeshould be included) and the Neogastropoda. Further researchwill be required to determine whether the paracrystalline fibresobserved in euspermatozoa of C. errones are characteristic ofthe Cypraeidae or perhaps shared with the Ovulidae or Triviidae. (Received 26 November 1985;     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE MATURE SPERMATOZOA OF BULINUS AFRICANUS (KRAUSS, 1848) AND B. GLOBOSUS (MORELET, 1866) (GASTROPODA: PLANORBIDAE)

The morphology of the mature spermatozoa of the closely-relatedfreshwater pulmonates, Bulinus africanus and Bulinus globosus,was examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy.A comparison showed no useful differences that could be usedto distinguish the species though they did differ in one respectfrom Bulinus tropicus, the only other bulinid for which spermmorphology is known. (Received 12 August 1996; accepted 6 December 1996)     

THE BIOMPHALARIA HAVANENSIS COMPLEX (GASTROPODA: PLANORBIDAE) IN CUBA: A MORPHOLOGICAL AND GENETIC STUDY

Conchological, anatomical and genetic characteristics werecompared among several populations of the Biomphalaria havanensis complexfrom Cuba and other localities in the Caribbean region. Two morphometricmeasures (height and diameter) distinguished two closely similarmorphs of the shell. The reproductive system also separated thesemorphs, particularly upon comparison of sizes of the penis sheathand the preputium. The two morphological groups differed in9 to 12 fixed alleles according to population. Further allozymicdata analyzed in the present work confirmed this difference.The results strongly support the assumption that the B. havanensis complexincludes two distinct species: B. havanensis, for which thetype locality is the swampy area near the vicinity of Havana,Cuba and Biomphalaria sp. a species which commonly occurs inCuba and in Dominican Republic. The taxonomic identity of Biomphalariasp. is discussed. (Received 28 January 2000; accepted 15 August 2000)     

织纹螺科一新种记述(腹足纲,前鳃亚纲,新腹足目)

在整理浙江沿海织纹螺科标本时,经传统方法和分子生物学方法鉴定发现1新种,即拟半褶织纹螺Nassarius (Zeuxis) semiplicatoides sp.nov..隶属于腹足纲、新腹足目、织纹螺科、织纹螺属、Zeuxis亚属.文中对新种的形态特征和栖息环境进行了记述,并与近似种进行了比较讨论.     

ON THE SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF BENTHONELLA NISONIS DALL, 1889 (GASTROPODA, PROSOBRANCHIA)

Some major features of the anatomy of Benthonella nisonis Dall,1889 (Gastropoda, Rissoacea) have been examined and found tojustify a new genus, Thaleia gen. nov. for the species. Itssystematic position is discussed but no certain conclusionsreached (Received 29 September 1978;     

THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF COLUS JEFFREYSIANUS (GASTROPODA: PROSOBRANCHIA) FROM 2200 m IN THE N.E. ATLANTIC

The reproductive biology of Colus jeffreysianus, collected aspart of a time-series sampling programme at 2200 m in the NorthernRockall Trough, is described. The gross morphology of the reproductiveorgans of this deep-water species does not differ significantlyfrom confamilial species in shallow water. Gametogenesis inboth females and males is a continuous process with no apparentchange in the proportion of the various developmental stagesin relation to the time of year. No post-spawning individualswere found. Maximum oocyte diameter was 170 µM, suggestinglecithotrophic development. In the testis polymorphic spermatozoawere found. The reproductive pattern observed is discussed inrelation to feeding strategy and developmental type. (Received 22 April 1985;     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CELL DIVISION IN TRICHOSARCINA POLYMORPHA AND PSEUDENDOCLONIUM BASILIENSE (CHLOROPHYCEAE)1

Pseudendoclonium basiliense and Trichosarcina polymorpha are essentially identical with regard to the fine structural details of cell division even though one was previously classified in the Chaetophorales and the other in the Ulvales. Cell division in the 2 genera is also shown to be like that in Ulva, as previously suggested might be the case. The combination of mitotic and cytokinetic characteristics common to the 3 genera is distinctive: (1) precocious development of a thick cleavage furrow, (2) centrioles distinctly lateral to polar fenestrae, (3) collapse of the interzonal spindle at telophase, and. (4) a cleavage furrow not associated with microtubules. It is suggested that features of vegetative cell division presently provide the best, characteristics for defining the Ulvaceae and that the use of growth habit should be abandoned. Despite the fact that a phycoplast is not present, in these algae, it is concluded that their affinities lie with genera that do possess a phycoplast.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PERMEABILITY IN PLANTS

Quantitative studies on Laminaria (a brown alga), Ulva (a green alga), Rhodymenia (a red alga), and Zostera (a flowering plant) show that the behavior of these plants, in respect to changes in permeability, is essentially alike in all cases.