Microscopic organization of uterus in the smallnose fanskate Sympterygia bonapartii (Müller & Henle, 1841) (Chondrichthyes, Rajidae)

AVACA, M S.; GALÍNDEZ, E. J.; ESTECONDO, S.

BIOCELL

Secretariat

Año: 2006 vol. 30 p. 504 - 504

0327-9545

The smallnose fanskate is oviparous and use the Bahía Blanca estuary as an egg case laying zone during late spring and summer. The function of the uterus in this species is to host the eggs during the tanning process and until oviposition. The aim of this work is to describe the histological organization of uterus of S. bonapartii. For the present study 8 adult females were caught in the Bahía Blanca estuary. Samples were processed according to routine techniques. The uterine wall was composed by three layers, with a well developed mucosa. It was lined with simple ciliated columnar ephitelium that invaginated to form tubular glands. The subjacent lamina propia, of loose connective tissue was highly vascularized. The muscularis was composed of inner circular and outer longitudinal layers of smooth muscle bounded by a serosa. According to the features of these layers, two zones in the uterus can be distinguished. None of the examined uterus contained eggs, so the previous description corresponds to non pregnant females. Although previous studies about this species were not found, the general histology was coincident with the description for other species of north hemisphere skates.