FINE STRUCTURE AND SECRETORY ACTIVITY OF THE SPERMATHECA OF THE FRESHWATER CRAB PARATELPHUSA HYDRODROMOUS (CRUSTACEA : DECAPODA)
A. R. SUDHA DEVI *
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, MARY MATHA ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE MANANTHAVADY-670 645, INDIA
RITA G. ADIYODI *
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, MARY MATHA ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE MANANTHAVADY-670 645, INDIA
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The multifibrilar musculature that encircles the spermathecal epithelium of Paratelphusa hydrodromous is composed of slow acting fibres characterized by the abundance of sarcoplasm, scarcity of myofibrils, lack of division of myofibrils into sacrcomeres, absence of T-system, poorly developed sarcoplasmic reticulum and sparseness in mitochondria. The secretory epithelium is composed of a single type of columnar cell with basally located multinucleolated nuclei. OctoberNovember (the pre-breeding season) is the period of synthesis of intrinsic secretion of the spermathecal epithelial cells. The mode of release of secretion is apocrine and occurs towards the end of the pre-breeding season.
Keywords: Crab, Paratelphusa hydrodromous, ultrastructure, spermatheca, secretory activity, prebreeding season