Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)

Girardia biapertura was described with sperm ducts penetrating the penis bulb, subsequently opening separately at the tip of the penis papilla and receiving the abundant secretion of penial glands. In the present work, the penial glands of this species have been histologically and histochemically an...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: S. T. SOUZA, A. M. LEAL-ZANCHET
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Internacional de Ecologia
Series:Brazilian Journal of Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842002000300019&lng=en&tlng=en
_version_ 1818330598771523584
author S. T. SOUZA
A. M. LEAL-ZANCHET
author_facet S. T. SOUZA
A. M. LEAL-ZANCHET
author_sort S. T. SOUZA
collection DOAJ
description Girardia biapertura was described with sperm ducts penetrating the penis bulb, subsequently opening separately at the tip of the penis papilla and receiving the abundant secretion of penial glands. In the present work, the penial glands of this species have been histologically and histochemically analysed, and four types of secretory cells are distinguished. The openings of the penial glands into the intrabulbar and intrapapillar sperm ducts, designated here as intrapenial ducts, allow for the distinction between three histologically differentiated regions. The most proximal region possibly corresponds to the bulbar cavity of other freshwater triclads whereas the median and distal portions correspond to the ejaculatory duct. The proximal region of the intrapenial ducts receives mainly the openings of a secretory cell type (type I) that produces a proteinaceous secretion. A second type of secretory cell (type II) that secretes neutral mucopolyssacharides opens into the median region of the intrapenial ducts. The distal portion of the ducts receives two types of secretory cells (types III and IV) which secret glycoprotein and glycosaminoglycans, respectively. Types III and IV open also directly into the male atrium through the epithelium of the penis papilla. A comparison with the results presented here and those of other authors for species of Girardia is provided and the importance of the study of the penial glands for taxonomic characterisation of freshwater triclads is emphasised.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T13:06:30Z
format Article
id doaj.art-7c1914486387443bab39e063456f5873
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1678-4375
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T13:06:30Z
publisher Instituto Internacional de Ecologia
record_format Article
series Brazilian Journal of Biology
spelling doaj.art-7c1914486387443bab39e063456f58732022-12-21T23:44:48ZengInstituto Internacional de EcologiaBrazilian Journal of Biology1678-437562354755510.1590/S1519-69842002000300019S1519-69842002000300019Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)S. T. SOUZA0A. M. LEAL-ZANCHET1Universidade do Vale do Rio dos SinosUniversidade do Vale do Rio dos SinosGirardia biapertura was described with sperm ducts penetrating the penis bulb, subsequently opening separately at the tip of the penis papilla and receiving the abundant secretion of penial glands. In the present work, the penial glands of this species have been histologically and histochemically analysed, and four types of secretory cells are distinguished. The openings of the penial glands into the intrabulbar and intrapapillar sperm ducts, designated here as intrapenial ducts, allow for the distinction between three histologically differentiated regions. The most proximal region possibly corresponds to the bulbar cavity of other freshwater triclads whereas the median and distal portions correspond to the ejaculatory duct. The proximal region of the intrapenial ducts receives mainly the openings of a secretory cell type (type I) that produces a proteinaceous secretion. A second type of secretory cell (type II) that secretes neutral mucopolyssacharides opens into the median region of the intrapenial ducts. The distal portion of the ducts receives two types of secretory cells (types III and IV) which secret glycoprotein and glycosaminoglycans, respectively. Types III and IV open also directly into the male atrium through the epithelium of the penis papilla. A comparison with the results presented here and those of other authors for species of Girardia is provided and the importance of the study of the penial glands for taxonomic characterisation of freshwater triclads is emphasised.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842002000300019&lng=en&tlng=ensecretory cellshistochemistryflatwormsDugesiidae
spellingShingle S. T. SOUZA
A. M. LEAL-ZANCHET
Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)
Brazilian Journal of Biology
secretory cells
histochemistry
flatworms
Dugesiidae
title Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)
title_full Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)
title_fullStr Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)
title_full_unstemmed Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)
title_short Histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of Girardia biapertura Sluys, 1997 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)
title_sort histological and histochemical aspects of the penial glands of girardia biapertura sluys 1997 platyhelminthes tricladida paludicola
topic secretory cells
histochemistry
flatworms
Dugesiidae
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842002000300019&lng=en&tlng=en
work_keys_str_mv AT stsouza histologicalandhistochemicalaspectsofthepenialglandsofgirardiabiaperturasluys1997platyhelminthestricladidapaludicola
AT amlealzanchet histologicalandhistochemicalaspectsofthepenialglandsofgirardiabiaperturasluys1997platyhelminthestricladidapaludicola