Ultrastructural study of the mature gametes of two species of Bankia (Mollusca : Teredinidae)

Abstract

This work describes the ultrastructure of sperm from two species of shipworm. The most significant differences were found in the structure and arrangement of the acrosomes. The acrosomal vesicle contains two types of material, one appearing as fibrils, the other as an electron-dense granule. It is concluded that sperm ultrastructure can be used as a basis for teredinid identification. The results are discussed with particular reference to their bearing on bivalve classification.