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Ultrastructure of the spermatozoon of the diphyllobothriidean cestode Cephalochlamys namaquensis (Cohn, 1906)

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Abstract

This contribution provides the first ultrastructural and cytochemical data on the mature spermatozoon of a diphyllobothriidean cestode belonging to the family Cephalochlamydidae. The mature spermatozoon of Cephalochlamys namaquensis (Cohn, 1906), a parasite of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis (Daudin, 1802), from southern California, USA, has been examined using transmission electron microscopy and cytochemical staining with periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate for glycogen. The male gamete is a filiform cell tapered at both extremities. Its moderately electron-dense cytoplasm possesses two parallel axonemes of unequal lengths with a 9 + “1” trepaxonematan pattern, a nucleus, parallel cortical microtubules, four electron-dense plaques/attachment zones, and electron-dense granules of glycogen. The crested body is absent. The anterior extremity of the cell exhibits a centriole surrounded by a semiarc of four parallel cortical microtubules. The number of cortical microtubules reaches its maximum (up to 37) at the beginning of the anucleated two-axoneme region II of the spermatozoon. In contrast to other diphyllobothriideans, a small membranous element appears in the anucleated region II. In addition, the nucleus is surrounded by a few cortical microtubules in region V. The distal extremity of the mature spermatozoon exhibits only one nucleus. Variations of spermatozoa ultrastructural characters within diphyllobothriideans as well as other Eucestoda are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the staff of the Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Institute of Parasitology, BC AS CR, České Budějovice, Czech Republic for excellent technical assistance. This study was supported by the Grant Agency of the Slovak Republic VEGA (project no. 2/0047/11). The work was realized within a frame of Centre of Excellence for Parasitology (Code ITMS: 26220120022) based on the support of the Operational Programme “Research & Development” funded from the European regional Development Fund (rate 0.1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic

    Magdaléna Bruňanská

  2. Center for Inland Waters and Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA

    Victoria Matey

  3. Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Jana Nebesářová

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  1. Magdaléna Bruňanská
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  2. Victoria Matey
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Correspondence to Magdaléna Bruňanská.

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Bruňanská, M., Matey, V. & Nebesářová, J. Ultrastructure of the spermatozoon of the diphyllobothriidean cestode Cephalochlamys namaquensis (Cohn, 1906). Parasitol Res 111, 1037–1043 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2928-4

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