Male reproductive traits of the marine snail Buccinanops deformis (King, 1832), (Gastropoda: Nassariidae): size and age at maturity and sperm morphology

NARVARTE, MAITE; GIMÉNEZ, JULIANA; AVACA, MARÍA SOLEDAD

ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER

ELSEVIER GMBH

Año: 2017 vol. 269 p. 68 - 77

0044-5231

Sizeand age at sexual maturity in maleswas studied in Buccinanops deformis through analysis of gonadal tissuesamples, secondary sexual characters and mating behavior in Golfo San Matías, Patagonia. Gonadal maturityoccurred prior to the development of secondary sexual characters. Size at firstgonadal maturity was 17.5 cm shell length (ca. 3-4 yr) whereas secondary sexualcharacters as penis length mature in the population at 20.16 cm.  Four gonadal stages were recorded during theyear, and spawning period was identified from June to August (austral winter).Filiform spermatozoa and vermiform paraspermatozoa are present in the maturetestis. This studyprovides new complementary characters by which the systematic of Buccinanopsspecies can be better evaluated. Results are broadly compared with publishedinformation of other Neogastropoda.