MORPHOLOGY AND FUNCTION OF THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT LIBINIA SPINOSA (BRACHYURA: MAJIDAE)

M. P. SAL MOYANO; E. I. CUARTAS; M. A. GAVIO

Gramado

Congreso; V Congresso Brasileiro sobre Crustáceos; 2008

In Decapoda, the male reproductive system is composed of paired testes, vas deferens and ejaculatory ducts. Spermiogenesis begins in the testes; spermatozoids are enclosed in spermatophores and ejaculated through the gonopods. The aim of the present work was to describe the morphology and function of the testes (T) and vas deferens (VD) of the spider crab Libinia spinosa. Mature individuals were captured by trawl net in the Mar del Plata coast (38ºS). Individuals were dissected; T and VD were treated with routine histological techniques and stained with standard H & E. The T was composed by lobes surrounded by fibrous capsule. The lobes contained seminiferous tubules where the sequence of spermatic maturity was observed. The testicular collector ducts were full of sperm and undeveloped spermatophores (irregular capsule). The VD presented columnar epithelium surrounded by a muscular and connective tissue layers. Tree portions were differentiated: anterior, proximal to the testis, with developing spermatophores; median, with developed spermatophores (regular capsule) and homogeneous seminal fluid; posterior (PVD), with glandular epithelium and granular secretion forming droplets. The last portion of the PVD presented a columnar epithelium with an important development of musculature. This structure of the PVD was similar to the terminal ampoule that in others decapods have the function to impulse the spermatophores towards the ejaculatory canal during mating.