Morphology and ultrastructure of the spermatozoa of Lonchoptera lutea Panzer, 1809 (Diptera: Lonchopteridae)

Kotrba, Marion; Tröster, Michael; Gensler, Heidemarie; Ruthensteiner, Bernhard und Hess, Martin (2021): Morphology and ultrastructure of the spermatozoa of Lonchoptera lutea Panzer, 1809 (Diptera: Lonchopteridae). In: Arthropod Structure & Development, Bd. 60, 101004

Abstract

Lonchoptera lutea males produce giant spermatozoa that are more than 2000 mm long and 1.4 mm wide. Unlike the typical brachyceran spermatozoon, they have a highly asymmetrical cross-section with only a single, albeit very large, mitochondrial derivative and a pair of massive accessory bodies, one of which extends throughout the entire length of the sperm tail. The accessory bodies consist of an electron-dense matrix in which numerous peculiar electron-lucid substructures are embedded. In the mated female, the giant spermatozoa are found inside two tubular spermathecae which are also extremely long, measuring 4000 mm or more. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Biologie > Department Biologie II
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie
• ISSN: 1467-8039
• Sprache: Englisch