Seasonal ovarian cycle in freshwater teleost, Labeo rohita (Ham.) in Tarai region of Uttaranchal

Seasonal ovarian cycle, based on histophysiological changes, and correlative variations in liver were studied in an Indian major carp, Labeo rohita reared in captivity under ambient environmental conditions in Tarai region of Uttaranchal. The oocyte features used for marking ovarian cycle included nuclear-ooplasmic ratio, yolk vesicle incorporation into ooplasm, number and size of nucleolus and differentiation of follicular layer. Based on these features the ovarian cycle in L. rohita was divided into five phases i.e. resting, preparatory, pre-spawning, spawning and post-spawning/regression. The resting and preparatory phases were characterized by the dominating presence of chromatin-nucleolar and yolk-vesicle stage oocytes. The pre-spawning phase ovary was marked by the prevalence of yolk globule stage oocytes having cortical alveoli and differentiating follicular wall. The oocytes containing densely packed yolk-granules and large masses of yolk vesicles and also exhibiting germinal vesicle movement (GVM) signified the ovary of spawning phase. The ovary in regression phase contained pre-ovulatory atretic oocytes and significant number of oogonia. The histophysiological changes in liver showing augmented biosynthetic activity during preparatory and pre-spawning phases seemed well correlated with the gonadal development. The increasing water temperature and day-length apparently was favourable for the gonadal development in L. rohita.     

Comparative fertilization biology of gymnolaemate bryozoans

Locations and oogenic stages of eggs at the time of sperm-egg fusion were determined for nine gymnolaemate species exhibiting different reproductive strategies with respect to site of embryonic development (e.g., water column, introvert, embryo sac, or ovicell) larval type, and zooid sexuality. Ovarian, coelomic, and recently spawned oocytes obtained from freshly collected colonies between 1988 and 1995 were stained with aceto-orcein and examined for the presence of a sperm nucleus. All nine species are shown to have a similar fertilization biology in which sperm fuse with eggs in or near ovaries and egg activation is delayed until eggs are spawned. In species such as the etenostomeAlcyonidium sp. and the cheilostomeElectra pilosa (Linnaeus, 1767), which produce marierons oocytes that are spawned into the water column and have cyphonautes larvae, sperm fuse with late growth stage ovarian oocytes after germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) at or near ovulation. In species that produce few oocytes, brood embryos, and release coronate larvae, sperm fuse with late growth stage ovarian primary oocytes before GVBD, as in the ctenostomeBowerbankia gracilis Leidy, 1855, or with very early growth stage ovarian primary oocytes, as in the cheilostomesCribrilina corbicula (O'Donoghue, 1923),Dendrobeania lichenoides (Robertson, 1900),Hippodiplosia insculpta (Hincks, 1882),Schizoporella serialis (Heller, 1867),T ricellaria gracilis (Smitt, 1867), andWatersipora arcuata Banta, 1969. Fertilization success was high in all nine species, with 83 to 100% of oocytes at an appropriate oogenic stage containing a sperm nucleus or early male pronucleus. Gymnolaemate bryozoans may maintain high levels of fertilization success by: (1) concentrating spawned sperm from the water column using colony feeding currents; (2) localizing sperm-egg encounters in or near the ovary, (3) using sperm when available by permitting sperm to fuse with early growth stage oocytes; and (4) selfing.     

Oocyte development in the kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus

Female kuruma prawns (Penaeus japonicus Bate) with undeveloped, early developing, developing, nearly ripe and ripe ovaries, were collected from Ise Bay, Japan, in 1984. Oocyte development of the kuruma prawn was classified into ten stages according to morphological characters, namely: (1) synapsis stage, (2) chromatin nucleolus stage, (3) early perinucleolus stage, (4) late perinucleolus stage, (5) oil globule Stage I, (6) oil globule Stage II, (7) yolkless stage, (8) yolk granule stage, (9) prematuration stage, and (10) maturation stage. The synapsis stage is a multiplication stage. The chromatin nucleolus stage, early and late perinucleolus stages are previtellogenesis and primary growth stages. Oil globule Stage I is an initial stage of primary vitellogenesis and secondary growth. Follicle cells on the oil globule Stage I oocytes expand rapidly and reach maximum size during oogenesis. Yolk granule stage oocytes are in the initial stages of secondary vitellogenesis. Strongly acidophilic yolk granules accumulate within basophilic vesicles of the cytoplasm. The yolk granules are first concentrated in the inner part of the cytoplasm, then gradually spread to the periphery. Cortical crypts, which are separated from the oocyte cytoplasm by the cytoplasmic membrane, are situated outside of oocyte cytoplasm. Germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) is initiated in the late phase of prematuration and continues until the late phase of maturation immediately prior to spawning. At the beginning of the maturation stage, the oocytes are ovulated, after which the nuclei further shrink and migrate out-wards. After ovulation, meiotic division of the ovarian oocyte progressed up to the metaphase of primary maturation division. Finally, the meiotic metaphase is visible just beneath the cytoplasmic membrane in the mature oocyte. Though ovulation is synchronous within the same ovary, GVBD is not completely synchronous. Ovulated mature oocytes have many club-shaped cortical crypts in the peripheral part of the cytoplasm and contain extensive accumulations of yolk granules dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. The apical end of the club-shaped cortical crypts and cytoplasmic membrane are coated by the vitellin envelope in the mature oocyte.     

Oogenesis and spawn-formation in the pigmy lion fish Dendrochirus brachypterus (Pteroidae)

Dendrochirus brachypterus possesses a special type of ovary in which the germinative epithelium surrounds a spongy stroma hanging in the lumen. The inner side of the ovarian wall is covered by a special type of epithelium that produces a gelatinous envelope around the gametes (spawn) during reproduction. In general, oogenesis in the lion fish resembles that of other teleosts, the characteristic difference being in the formation of ovigerous peduncles-protrusions of the spongy stroma, each of which bears a single oocyte. During oogenesis the oocytes rise above the germinal epithelium, enveloped in their follicular epithelia. The larger the oocyte the greater the length of its peduncles and the further its position from the germinal layer (Fig. 3). During this phase of development, a marked multiplication of yolk granules occurs; they increase their diameter and finally homogenize at ovulation. Under favorable thermal conditions, oogenesis continues all year round. The peduncular growth of oocytes enables the growing egg cells to move away from the egg-producing surface, thus making space available for the ovary to produce more eggs. This ability should have a survival value for these fish if we take into consideration that the most vulnerable stage in their life history is that of planktonic larvae (Fishelson, 1975).     

Plasma sex steroid and vitellogenin profiles during gonad development in wild Mediterranean amberjack (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Seriola dumerilii</Emphasis>)

Mediterranean amberjacks, Seriola dumerilii Risso, were caught off the Pelagie Islands, in the south Mediterranean Sea, between May 1997 and June 1999. Fish blood was sampled, and gonads were collected at 10-day intervals throughout the spawning period and at monthly intervals during the resting period. Concentrations of plasma estradiol-17ß (E₂), testosterone (T), 17,20ß-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) and vitellogenin (Vtg) in females; and plasma T and 11-ketoT (11-KT) in males were correlated with changes in gonadal development. The first females that had already ovulated (F5) were found in late May. Most mature females (F4) were caught in June. Post-spawned females (F6) were found from late July until September. Estradiol-17ß was at baseline levels (<0.02 ng ml^–1) during autumn/winter and rapidly peaked (6.29±0.68 ng ml^–1) from May to early July. Plasma T levels showed a similar profile and were positively correlated to E₂ (r²=0.668) during the spawning period. Continuously elevated levels of E₂ and T were observed during the spawning season in vitellogenic females (stages F3, F4 and F5). Resting females were found during the autumn/winter months. Vitellogenin levels increased during May and peaked in June, reverting to undetectable levels in August, in parallel with sex steroid changes. Plasma DHP levels peaked in June (283.45±97.3 pg ml^–1), falling to basal values (<5 pg ml^–1) in August. DHP levels were higher in mature females (F4) than in maturing (F3) and in partially ovulated (F5) females. DHP values increased during germinal vesicle migration, peaked during germinal vesicle breakdown and decreased again during complete oocyte hydration. In males, changes in T and 11-KT plasma levels were related to testis development. The highest levels of T (5.76±2.64 ng ml^–1) were measured during spermatogenesis and highest 11-KT (5.28±3.6 ng ml^–1) in males with milt, from May to June. This study provides information, for the first time, on the relation between plasma sex steroid profiles and gonad development in wild Mediterranean amberjack, a useful benchmark for broodstock monitoring under controlled conditions.Communicated by R. Cattaneo-Vietti, Genova     

Stereological methods applied to reproductive cycle of Tapes rhomboides

A population of Tapes rhomboides (Pennant) in the Bay of St. Malo, France, was studied for one and a half years (July 1984–October 1985) to determine spawning frequency and fecundity under natural conditions, using the techniques of qualitative histological staging, condition index calculation and quantitative stereology. Spawning took place twice a year, in late May and in July/September. There was an extended winter resting period. Gonad development and oocyte production were positively correlated with female body size. The annual fecundity in a 40 mm clam was about 5x10⁵. Stereological techniques provided accurate information on oocyte dynamics within a gonad and the relationship with atretic processes. Each oocyte generation from the onset of the cycle to the winter resting stage was spawned eventually if conditions were suitable, or the oocytes were resorbed. Atresia of oocytes was seen throughout the reproductive period, but especially after the spring spawning and at the end of the summer.     

中国淡水蛏卵子发生的超微结构

运用透射电镜研究中国淡水蛏Novaculina chinensis卵子发生过程中细胞和细胞器的超微结构变化，结果表明，卵原细胞的胞质含有丰富的核糖体及少量线粒体和内质网，其它细胞器不发达，卵黄合成前期，卵母细胞胞体增大，线粒体较多，量小泡装和条索状的内质网；同时随着发育的进行，出现卵黄膜、合成少量卵黄粒及产生大量脂滴，卵黄全成期卵母细胞胞体迅速增大，细胞核伸出伪足状突起；胞 内出现丰富的线粒体、溶酶体及结构独特的内质网、卵黄粒越来越多，而脂滴越来越少，成熟期卵母细胞胞体达到最大，细胞器不发达，胞质中充满大量卵黄粒，仅少量脂滴。首次观察到卵母细胞表面伸出伪足状突起，这也是外源卵黄发生的证据。讨论了中国淡水蛏卵子发生的特点.     

Route of egg yolk protein uptake in the oocytes of kuruma prawn,Penaeus japonicus

The route of egg yolk protein uptake into the oocytes of kuruma prawn, Penaeus japonicus, was studied using immunohistochemical and electron microscopical methods. Although a significant immunofluorescence with anti-vitellin-immunoglobulin was observed in the enlarged follicle cells surrounding oil globule stage oocytes of the early vitellogenic ovary, no fluorescence was detected in shrunken follicle cells surrounding oocytes in the yolk granule stage. Electron microscopically, yolk granule stage oocytes have an irregular surface with numerous well-developed microvilli. In contrast, the surface of follicle cells is relatively smooth. The irregular surface of yolk granule stage oocytes was covered with a layer of electron dense material. Similar dense material was found in the spaces between the neighboring follicle cells on the yolk granule stage oocytes. The outer surface of the follicle cells on yolk granule stage oocytes was covered by dense materials which were similar to those found on the irregular surface of oocytes. Micropinocytotic vesicles containing dense material were found in the ooplasm near the irregular surface with numerous well-developed microvilli. Dense material was concentrated in the peripheral part of the small forming yolk bodies of yolk granule stage oocytes. This suggests that the electron dense material, probably egg yolk protein, transferred to the surface of yolk granule stage oocytes from the spaces between the neighboring follicle cells may be incorporated into the ooplasm by pinocytosis through the microvilli and subsequently aggregate to form yolk bodies.     

Spawning pattern and type of fecundity in relation to ovarian allometry in the round herring <Emphasis Type="Italic">Etrumeus teres</Emphasis>

Spawning pattern (assessed by seasonal changes in ovarian developmental stages) and type of fecundity (assessed by analysis of oocyte-size frequency distributions) of the round herring Etrumeus teres were studied in relation to ovarian growth and seasonal changes in the gonadosomatic (GSI), hepatosomatic (HSI) and liposomatic (LSI) index as well as the somatic condition of spawners (CS) in a spawning ground of southern Japan. Except for summer, mature and recently spawned ovaries occurred all year round. Oogonia and primary oocytes were present in all ovaries, and cortical alveoli stage (CA) oocytes occurred in all mature, hydrated and partially spent (PS) females (PS: females containing post-ovulatory follicles). Before hydration, a clutch of larger yolked oocytes, undergoing synchronous growth (range 0.7–1.1 mm), was present in mature ovaries which was completely separated from a more heterogeneous clutch of oogonia, primary and secondary oocytes (<0.150 mm) and oocytes in the CA stage (range 0.15–0.60 mm). As vitellogenesis progressed, the yolked clutch increased in size but the CA oocytes remained arrested. The latter entered into the secondary growth phase when hydration started in the advanced batch. Ovarian growth was isometric in all developmental stages, validating the use of GSI, which showed a consistent monthly evolution among years. Spawning stopped in summer (July and August) and peaked in winter and spring. HSI correlated positively with GSI on both a monthly mean basis (r = 0.76) and individual fish basis (liver weight explained 67–83% of the variability in ovary weight when females were grouped into 1-unit GSI intervals) suggesting a significant role of liver in vitellogenesis. LSI and CS also showed marked seasonal changes peaking from summer to middle autumn. Overall results suggest that E. teres is a multiple spawner with a group-synchronous ovarian development and indeterminate annual fecundity, with the three processes linked to an isometric growth of the ovary. We propose that such a reproductive pattern is an adaptation to produce batches of large pelagic eggs through a protracted spawning season.     

Reproduction of the intraovarian brooding apodid Leptosynapta clarki (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) in British Columbia

Reproduction in the viviparous apodid sea cucumber Leptosynapta clarki was examined in Grappler Inlet, Bamfield, Vancouver Island, Canada from July 1989 through July 1991. The reproductive cycle of L. clarki is annual with gonad growth during the summer months. Male sea cucumbers spawn during November and December and internally fertilize, through as yet undetermined means, the oocytes within the ovary. Embryonic development is rapid, so that within 2 wk fertilized eggs reach the pentactula stage. Pentactulae have an open mouth and anus and actively move in the ovarian tubules feeding on droplets and fluid derived from the resorption of unfertilized eggs. Histological examination of gametogenesis shows similar development to that found in non-brooding holothurians. However, the protandric sex change observed in some male L. clarki after spawning and changes to the overian wall structure prior to fertilization are previously undescribed in sea cucumbers.     

Ultrastructure of the ovary and oogenesis in the jellyfish Linuche unguiculata and Stomolophus meleagris,with a review of ovarian structure in the Scyphozoa

Ovarian structure and oogenesis has been examined in six scyphozoan species including the semaeostome Diplumularis antarctica Maas, 1908 (collected in 1987 in McMurdo Sound, Antarctic), the rhizostomes Cassiopea xamachana Bigelow, 1892 (collected in Belize in 1988), and Stomolophus meleagris L. Agassiz, 1862 (collected in Ft. Pierce Inlet in 1988), and the coronates Periphylla periphylla (Peron and Lesueur, 1810), Nausithoe atlantica Broch, 1914 (both collected in the Bahamas in 1988), and Linuche unguiculata (Schwartz, 1788) (collected in Nassau Harbor, Bahama Islands in 1989). Based on these findings and information on five other scyphozoan species from additional literature sources, at least two fundamentally different types of ovaries exist in the Scyphozoa. In semaeosotome and rhizostome species, oocytes develop in close association with specialized gastrodermal cells called trophocytes which may serve a nutritive function. However, coronate species lack trophocytes and oocytes develop freely in the mesoglea. The ovaries of S. meleagris and L. unguiculata are used as models to represent the ultrastructural events occurring during oogenesis in species having trophocytes and those lacking them, respectively. In both L. unguiculata and S. meleagris, the ovaries arise as evaginations of the gastrodermis in the floor of interradial pouches. Germ cells appear to originate from endodermally-derived gastrodermal cells and migrate into the mesoglea prior to vitellogenesis. In L. unguiculata, the oocytes develop freely within the mesoglea throughout vitellogenesis, while in S. meleagris each oocyte maintains contact with specialized gastrodermal cells called trophocytes. In the vitellogenic oocytes of both species, numerous invaginations of the oolemma result in the formation of intraooplasmic channels throughout the ooplasm. These channels are intimately associated with cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and may play some role in yolk precursor uptake by substantially increasing the surface area of the oocyte. Vitellogenesis is similar in both species and involves the autosynthetic activity of the Golge complex and rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the heterosynthetic incorporation of yolk precursors through receptor-mediated endocytosis. However, in the oocytes of S. meleagris, the trophocytes probably play a role in the transfer of nutrients from the gastrovascular cavity to the oocyte. The present study suggests that scyphozoans were among the first metazoans to develop ovarian accessory cells during their reproductive evolution. The trophocyte-oocyte association observed in some scyphozoans is similar to but structurally less complex than the trophonema-oocyte association described from anthozoans. Scyphozoan ovarian morphology helps support the view that the Scyphozoa share a closer phylogenetic relationship with the Anthozoa than with the Hydrozoa.     

Reproductive cycle and seasonal feeding activity of the neogastropod Buccinum undatum

The whelk Buccinum undatum L. in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence has a distinct annual reproductive cycle. The ovary and pallial oviduct of the female, and the seminal vesicle of the male, show parallel development, whereas the testis has an inverse cycle. Thus, at the end of winter when the ovary, pallial oviduct and seminal vesicle reach maximal size, the testis is small and undeveloped, whereas the reverse situation occurs in summer. This is the first report of a totally inverse relationship between the ovary and testis for a marine invertebrate. This unusual pattern is due to the long-term storage of sperm in the seminal vesicle of the male prior to copulation. There is no resting period at the end of oogenesis, but rather renewed ovarian development starts shortly after gamete release. By contrast, in the testis after transfer of sperm to the seminal vesicle at the end of spermatogenesis, there is a distinct period of phagocytosis. Mating begins in mid-May, reaches a peak during June and terminates prior to July. Egg laying begins in late May, reaches a peak in mid-June to mid-July and can continue until late August. Examination of the incidence of individuals with food in their stomachs showed that feeding activity is maximal in late autumn through to early spring and decreases sharply coincident with the onset of breeding in late May.     

Maturation and diel reproductive periodicity of round scad (Carangidae: Decapterus punctatus)

The diel reproductive periodicity of Carangidae is poorly known but appears to be highly variable between species. Some species spawn during the day, others are believed to spawn at night, and it is demonstrated here that round scad, Decapterus punctatus, spawn at dusk. We collected D. punctatus in the eastern Gulf of Mexico during three April cruises (1995, 1996, and 1997). Based on histological criteria, size at 50% maturity was 113 mm fork length (FL) for males and 128 mm FL for females. The gonad-somatic index (GSI) of mature males was significantly different between hours and appeared to show diel periodicity. Diel periodicity was also observed in changes in female GSIs, whole oocyte diameters, and ovarian histology. The average GSI of mature females fluctuated two-fold between day and night, and the size distribution of whole oocytes in some fish was bimodal (at 0.3-0.4 and 0.7-0.8 mm diameter) at dusk rather than unimodal during most of the diel cycle. Histological preparations revealed that these rapid changes in ovarian GSIs and oocyte size distributions were the result of final oocyte maturation. Germinal vesicle migration was observed from 0900 to 1400 hours eastern standard time (EST), germinal vesicle breakdown was evident as early as 1100 hours EST, and ovulation occurred as early as 1800 hours EST. Spawning frequency (approximately every 5 days) was similar whether calculated from the proportion of females with hydrated oocytes during the afternoon or from the proportion of females with postovulatory follicles during the morning. Batch fecundity correlated with fish size and ranged from 5,500 to 34,700 hydrated eggs per individual. These findings do not support published hypotheses that young-of-the-year D. punctatus reproduce before their first winter or that D. punctatus reproductive output is bimodal within a year.     

Growth and reproductive biology of the small penaeid shrimp Trachysalambria curvirostris in Tokyo Bay

We investigated the growth and reproductive biology of the penaeid shrimp Trachysalambria curvirostris in Tokyo Bay, Japan, by monthly bottom-trawl surveys from May 2002 to December 2004. We also examined oogenesis in T. curvirostris by histological observation of the ovary. Females grew faster and attained a larger body size for age than males. The growth rate was high in summer and low in winter and was likely to be associated with seasonal changes in water temperature. The carapace length (CL) at which 50% of females contained vitellogenic oocytes was estimated to be 17.0 mm. The reproductive season extended from May to October. Young-of-the-year appeared in October and could be traced across the months on CL histograms to the following September or October, indicating a 1-year life cycle. This extended reproductive season, together with our observation of asynchronous development of oocytes in the ovary, suggests that multiple spawning by individual females may occur during the reproductive season. Postovulated oocytes were not found among the samples we collected during the daytime, suggesting that final oocyte maturation and spawning occur at night. Cortical crypts in the cytoplasm of the oocyte, considered to be a general feature of oogenesis in penaeid shrimps, were not found in T. curvirostris, even in oocytes undergoing germinal vesicle breakdown. This result implies that the cortical reaction after spawning of T. curvirostris may be different from that of other penaeid shrimps.     

Changes in the biochemical composition of the ovaries of the seastar Asterias rubens during its annual reproductive cycle

The biochemical composition of the ovaries of the asteroid echinoderm Asterias rubens was studied, with emphasis on the changes which are manifest during the annual reproductive cycle. Ovarian dry weight displays only minor changes during ovarian development, constituting about 20% of the organ fresh weight. Levels of all constituents show some variation, but in general increase with ovarian growth. Only the free amino acid level is rather constant. Except for glycogen, the contents of other constituents (total lipids, other reducing sugars, free amino acids and proteins) show a rectilinear increase with ovarian growth. Glycogen content increases rectilinearly with time during early vitellogenesis, but remains constant during further development until ovarian maturity. By plotting constituent levels and contents against a non-linear gonad index axis rather than against sampling date, results can be correlated more easily with ovarian growth stages. The possibility of endocytosis of a vitellogenin-like yolk precursor by the ovary is discussed.     

Regulation of reproduction by dominant workers in bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) queenright colonies

The mechanisms of regulating worker reproduction in bumblebees were studied by direct behavioral observations and by measuring ovarian development and juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis rates in workers under different social conditions. Workers in the last stage of Bombus terrestris colony development (the competition phase) had the lowest ovarian development and JH biosynthesis rates. Callows introduced into colonies immediately after queen removal (dequeened colonies) demonstrated a significant increase in ovarian development before, but not during, the competition phase. These findings differ from the higher ovarian development in colonies during the competition phase predicted by the prevailing hypothesis that worker reproduction starts in response to a decrease in queen inhibition. Reproduction of callows housed with dominant workers in small queenless groups was inhibited as in queenright colonies. This suggests that the reduced ovarian development and JH biosynthesis rates observed in dequeened and normally developing colonies during the competition phase also reflect inhibition by dominant workers. Thus, two distinct stages of inhibition of reproduction seem to exist: (1) before the competition phase, when the queen slows down worker ovarian development and prevents oviposition; (2) during the competition phase, when dominant workers inhibit ovarian development of other workers. Between these stages there seems to be a temporal “window” of enhanced worker reproductive development. The queen's typical switch to haploid egg production was not associated with changes in worker ovarian development or JH biosynthesis rates. These findings suggest that regulation of worker reproduction in B. terrestris is not determined by simple changes in the queen's inhibition capacity or by the sex of offspring and that the worker's role is more important than previously believed. Received: 18 March 1998 / Accepted after revision: 18 July 1998     

Purification and immunolocalization of a vitellin-like protein from the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

A female-specific protein from the hemolymph, and a related ovarian protein were identified in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas using immunological procedures. The latter protein was isolated from ovarian extract by a combination of precipitation in distilled water, ammonium sulfate fractionation, hydroxylapatite chromatography and gel filtration on a Sepharose 6B column, and was identified as a macromolecular glycolipoprotein of 500 kD; sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, under reducing conditions, revealed seven heterogeneous polypeptides. Using a specific antiserum against purified protein, we also examined the immunohistochemical distribution of the protein at light- and electron-microscopic levels. Light microscopy revealed its presence in the oocytes, and electron microscopy identified it in yolk granules and the vitelline coat of the oocytes. These results indicate that the purified protein is a vitellin-like protein. Since no organ other than the ovary reacted with the antiserum, it is probable that the protein is produced inside the ovary, probably autosynthetically by oocytes.     

Female reproductive biology and oocyte development of the red frog crab,Ranina ranina,off Hachijojima,Izu Islands,Japan

Speciments of the red frog crab, Ranina ranina, examined in this study were collected off Hachijojima, Japan from 1987–1988 and 1990–1991. Ovigerous females occurred from May to September, and their carapace length ranged from 61.8 to 102.1 mm. Minimum size at the maturity was estimated to be 50 to 60 mm carapace length. The lobule-type ovary had a longitudinal ovarian cavity at the center. Germinal zones were located along the sides of the cavity. Oogenesis was divided into five main and ten detailed stages: proliferation (oogonium); previtellogenesis (bouquet, early chromatin nucleolus, late chromatin nucleolus); primary vitellogenesis (oil globule and yolk granule); secondary vitellogenesis (primary yolk platelet, secondary yolk platelet and prematuration); and maturation (maturation) stages. Vitellogenesis started at the oil globule stage when weakly positive periodic acid-Schiff granules appear in the cytoplasm. Based on the gonadosomatic index and histological changes in ovary, the reproductive cycle was divided into five stages: multiplication, from December to January; developing, from February to March; ripe in April and early May; spawning, from late May to August; and recovery, from August to November. Each crab spawned more than once during the spawning season.     

栉孔扇贝卵发生的超微结构和细胞化学

对栉孔扇贝Ｃｈｌａｍｙｓｆａｒｒｅｒｉ 的卵原细胞和卵母细胞发育过程的超微结构和细胞化学研究结果表明：卵原细胞的胞质中含大量的游离核糖体,细胞器不发达,蛋白质和ＲＮＡ丰富而糖元贫乏;卵黄生成之前,卵母细胞中的核质膨大为生发泡;核仁发达,胞质中线粒体大为增多;卵黄体和皮层颗粒首先出现于核周,接近线粒体聚集处;卵黄生成盛期,卵母细胞的胞质内具平行片层粗面内质网和同心圆状粗面内质网,它们是生成卵黄体和皮层颗粒的主要细胞器,线粒体和高尔基器也参与了这两种内含物的生成;微胞饮作用也为细胞的发育提供某些物质;卵黄体含蛋白质和糖元,皮层颗粒富含多糖类;卵黄膜形成始于卵黄生成初期,先是细胞游离端的胞质出现一个富含多糖的突起,突起部的质膜微绒毛化,微绒毛分泌产生由中性多糖构成的卵黄膜,继而向四周扩展,并于卵母细胞成熟时覆盖整个细胞;ＲＮＡ 合成贯穿于卵母细胞的整个发育期,延续至卵黄生成结束之后,成熟分裂临近之时．     

Sexual reproduction,larval development and release in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spongia officinalis</Emphasis> L. (Porifera,Demospongiae) from the Apulian coast

The reproductive cycle of the bath sponge Spongia officinalis L. has been studied over 1 year on 11 tagged specimens of different sizes (from 82 to 886 ml, in volume) from Ionian coasts of Apulia (SE Italy). According to literature data, the sponge is viviparous. All the monitored specimens showed sexual reproduction, even if the process usually involved small portions of the sponge tissue. Ten specimens were gonochoric (sex ratio 1:1), one specimen showed successive hermaphroditism, with alternate production of oocytes and spermatic cysts in the same reproductive season. Young oocytes occur almost all year round, whereas large mature eggs show a peak in October–November, concomitantly with the appearance of spermatic cysts. No relationships were observed between the sponge size and the presence of sexual elements within the range of the sponge size considered in this research. Embryo development occurs in patches of choanosomal tissue, which contain four or more elements. Cleavage is total and equal; it starts in November and in May leads to a solid stereoblastula, which develops into a parenchymella larva, from May to July. The stereoblastula lacks flagella and its surface is delimited by elongated cells well segregated from the internal ones. Parenchymella larvae are released from June to July, asynchronously, either at the individual or population level, with a few days of de-phasing. Up to 523 larval elements/48 h for a sponge specimen were counted. The free-swimming larvae are ovoid and uniformly flagellated. Flagella are longer at the posterior region, than on the rest of the larval body. Flagellated cells form a pseudo-stratified epithelial layer, delimiting the outermost larval surface, and are filled with electron-lucent vesicles showing a homogenous content. No choanocyte chambers, pinacocytes or skeletal elements are present in the newly released larvae.