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Acta Parasitologica, Vol.47, No. 2, 2002, 131-136
Aissatou Ba (1), Cheikh Tidiane Ba (1)*, Marchand Bernard (2) - Ultrastructural study of the spermatozoon of Echinocotyle dolosa (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea, Hymenolepididae).

(1) Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ch. A. Diop University of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal; (2) Laboratory of Parasites and Mediterranean Ecosystems, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, University of Corsica, BP 52, 20250 Corte, France
*Corresponding author: ctba@caramail.com
ABSTRACT

The mature E. dolosa spermatozoon exhibits an apical disc of electron-dense material about 0.1 mm thick and eight helicoidal crested-like bodies roughly 0.1 mm thick. The latter are of different lengths, spiralized and make an angle of about 40° with the spermatozoon axis. The axoneme is of the 9 + '1' pattern, central in regions I and II, and eccentric in regions III and IV of the gamete. The cortical microtubules are spiralized. The nucleus is a polylobulate compact cord of electron-dense material 0.3-0.7 mm wide, located in parallel to the axoneme and overpassing the posterior extremity. The cytoplasm contains numerous electron-dense granules in regions III and IV, with an increase in electron-density at the posterior end of sperm. The contour of the regions III and IV of the gamete and also that of the nucleus are irregular and polylobulate. This type of polylobulation has never been described in a cestode. Similarly, an apical disc of electron-dense material has never been observed in a cestode spermatozoon; nor has a nucleus of roughly 0.3-0.7 mm in diameter been described in the Cyclophyllidea. In addition, we report for the first time the existence of eight crested-like bodies in a cestode of birds.


KEY WORDS: Echinocotyle dolosa, Cyclophyllidea, Cestoda, ultrastructure, spermatozoon
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