TY - JOUR
T1 - Intersex red claw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens)
T2 - Functional Males with Pre-vitellogenic Ovaries
AU - Sagi, Amir
AU - Khalaila, Isam
AU - Barki, Assaf
AU - Hulata, Gideon
AU - Karplus, Ilan
PY - 1996/1/1
Y1 - 1996/1/1
N2 - Intersex individuals, possessing both male and female genital openings, were assessed in two groups-7 and 19 months old-of Australian red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus), All intersex individuals investigated were functional males, as suggested by their male-like morphology and the presence of testes, sperm ducts, androgenic glands, and viable spermatozoa. When an ovary was present in an intersex individual from either group, the gonadosomatic index, the diameter of the oocytes, and the ovarian cytosolic polypeptide profile were similar to those of immature, pre-vitellogenic females. We conclude that intersexuality in C. quadricarinatus does not indicate a case of protandric sequential hermaphroditism, as previously suggested. The case of intersexuality described here presents a unique model for the study of the role of the androgenic gland in the regulation of sex differentiation in crustaceans.
AB - Intersex individuals, possessing both male and female genital openings, were assessed in two groups-7 and 19 months old-of Australian red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus), All intersex individuals investigated were functional males, as suggested by their male-like morphology and the presence of testes, sperm ducts, androgenic glands, and viable spermatozoa. When an ovary was present in an intersex individual from either group, the gonadosomatic index, the diameter of the oocytes, and the ovarian cytosolic polypeptide profile were similar to those of immature, pre-vitellogenic females. We conclude that intersexuality in C. quadricarinatus does not indicate a case of protandric sequential hermaphroditism, as previously suggested. The case of intersexuality described here presents a unique model for the study of the role of the androgenic gland in the regulation of sex differentiation in crustaceans.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=17544370560&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2307/1542672
DO - 10.2307/1542672
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:17544370560
SN - 0006-3185
VL - 190
SP - 16
EP - 23
JO - Biological Bulletin
JF - Biological Bulletin
IS - 1
ER -