MORPHOLOGY OF THE SEMINAL RECEPTACLES IN OCYPODE QUADRATA (FABRICIUS, 1787) (BRACHYURA, OCYPODIDAE)

LÓPEZ GRECO, L. S.1,2,, NEGREIROS-FRANSOZO, M. L3, BOLAÑOS, J.4, FRANSOZO,V.3, LIRA, C.4

Coquimbo, Chile

Congreso; Mid-Year Meeting of the Crustacean Society; 2007

The Crustacean Society

MORPHOLOGY OF THE SEMINAL RECEPTACLES IN OCYPODE QUADRATA (FABRICIUS, 1787) (BRACHYURA, OCYPODIDAE)   López Greco, L. S.1,2,, Negreiros-Fransozo, M. L3, Bolaños, J.4, Fransozo,V.3, Lira, C.4   1Dept. of Biodiversity and Experimental Biology, FCEyN, University of Buenos Aires, Cdad. Univ. C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2CONICET. laura@bg.fcen.uba.ar; 3Dep. de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, C.P. 510 Universidade Estadual Paulista, 18618-000 Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil. mlnf@ibb.unesp.br; 4Escuela de Ciencias Aplicadas del Mar, Laboratorio de Carcinología, Universidad de Oriente. Calle Principal, Boca del Río, Estado Nueva Esparta, Venezuela. bolanos@ne.udo.edu.ve/clira@ne.udo.edu.ve.   The seminal receptacles (SR) of the Eubrachyura are an ecto-mesodermic differentiation of the genital ducts, where the spermatophores are stored and fecundation takes place. The position in which  the oviduct is connected to the SR varies among species and according to this two types of SR can be distinguished: dorsal and ventral. Such classification is related to the mating behavior. The dorsal SR is frequently observed in the “soft mating system” and the ventral SR, in the “hard mating system”. As a part of a wider study about the reproductive biology of the Ocypodidae from the Atlantic coast of South America, this research describes the SR of Ocypode quadrata from the macro and microscopic points of view. A total of 56 adult females were sampled from which 5 were selected according to the maximum degree of their ovary development. The SR were dissected and processed using the usual histological techniques for light microscopy. The SR of O. quadrata are spherical and opalescent structures with a diameter that goes from 5 to 8 mm presenting a ventral connection to the oviduct. At the macroscopic level, they are homogeneous structures connected to the gonopore by a short vaginal duct, which presents a large quantity of muscles involved in the support of the SR and the opening of the vaginal duct during mating and spawning. The mesodermic portion of the SR is delimited by a cubic-cilindric stratified epithelium with three layers  of muscular cells. The transition between the mesodermic and the ectodermic portions is abrupt. Inside the SR only free spermatozoa were found, but any differentiated ejaculated neither spermatophores were observed. The SR of O. quadrata present histological features similar to those in semi-terrestrial species of Brachyura with “hard mating system”. Financial support: CNPq/PROSUL