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FINE EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE EGGS OF EPHORON ALBUM (SAY) AND EPHORON SHIGAE (TAKAHASHI) (EPHEMEROPTERA, POLYMITARCYIDAE)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Elda Gaino
Affiliation:
Istituto di Zoologia dell' Università, Via Elce di Sotto, 06100 Perugia, Italy
John Flannagan
Affiliation:
Freshwater Institute, Central and Arctic Region, Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N6

Abstract

Eggs of Ephoron album and E. shigae were studied by scanning electron microscopy. They showed similar structure of both polar cap and micropyles, but had different chorionic patterns. Micropyles were of the tagenoform type and, whereas in most mayflies thev are equatorial or subequatorial, in these eggs they were located close to the apical pole. The chorion was smooth in E. album and had a large mesh reticulation in E. shigae. The effect of water in causing the cap to swell and expand was tested by fixing eggs of E. album at different lime intervals after their mechanical deposition in water. The polar cap was a composite apparatus, consisting of finger-like projections with slight terminal enlargements, which arose from a common hood. The latter was connected via a thread bundle to the chorionic surface. In turn, the thread bundle arose from a chorionic collar located immediately underneath the hood. Each finger-like projection was composed of a large number of thin threads packed together, each ending in a small terminal knob. The function of the polar cap was discussed in relation to egg–water interaction.

Résumé

Les oeufs d’Ephoron album et d’Ephoron shigae ont été étudiés au microscope électronique à balayage. La structure de la calotte polaire et des micropyles de l’oeuf est semblable chez les deux expèces, mais la structure du chorion n’est pas la même. Les micropyles sont de type tagénoforme et sont situés près du pôle apical, contrairement à ce qui prévaut chez les autres éphémères où ils sont généralement en position équatoriale ou subéquatoriale. Le chorion est lisse chez E. album alors qu’il comporte une réticulation à larges mailles chez E. shigae. L’effet de l’eau sur le renflement et l’expansion de la calotte a été éprouvé par fixation des oeufs d’E. album à divers intervalles après leur plongée dans l’eau. La calotte polaire est un appareil complexe composé de prolongements digitiformes légèrement renflés dans leur partie terminale et issus d’une coiffe commune. Celle-ci est reliée par un faisceau de filamentes à la surface du chorion. Le faisceau de filaments est lui-même rattaché à un collet chorionique situé directement sous la coiffe. Chaque prolongement digitiforme est composé d’un grand nombre de filaments minces, serrés les uns sur les autres, chacun portant une petite massue terminale. Le rôle de la calotte polaire est examiné en relation avec l’action de l’eau sur l’oeuf.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1995

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