Morphology of the male accessory glands and sperm in Mischocyttarus (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Glândulas acessórias e espermatozoides de espécies de Mischocyttarus foram submetidas a técnicas de microscopia de luz, microscopia eletrônica de transmissão convencional e citoquímica ultraestrutural. O epitélio glandular de M. rotundicollis, M. injucundus, M. punctatus e M. cerberus é simples, formado por células com núcleos arredondados a alongados com a cromatina descondensada e nucléolos evidentes. O citoplasma de M. rotundicollis e M. injucundus é rico em retículo endoplasmático rugoso com muitas cisternas dilatadas e ribossomos livres. Em M. injucundus, ribossomos livres e mitocôndrias também foram visualizados. Grânulos com formas, tamanhos variados e diferentes graus de eletrondensidade são vistos em M. injucundus, M. rotundicolis e M. cerberus bem como vesículas secretoras com material eletrondenso em seu interior em M. injucundus. Em M. punctatus foram vistos poucas vesículas secretoras no epitélio glandular. Nas quatro espécies, numerosos grânulos totalmente eletrondensos de tamanhos variados foram observados no epitélio e sendo eliminados no interior do lúmen glandular. Em células glandulares de M. cerberus, inúmeros grânulos compostos por carboidratos foram detectados no citoplasma das células epiteliais glandulares. O conteúdo dos grânulos de secreção demonstrou reação negativa para o teste de proteínas básicas. Vesículas secretoras presentes no citoplasma das células glandulares de M. cerberus se apresentaram negativas para ambos os testes citoquímicos usados, indicando ser seu conteúdo composto por substâncias químicas diferentes. Os espermatozoides M. attramentarius, M. cerberus, M. injucundus e M. punctatus seguem o padrão dos espermatozoides dos Hymenoptera. São longos, finos, lineares, medem entre 108 μm e 137μm e a cabeça entre 11 μm e 16 μm de comprimento. Possuem acrossoma cônico, o perforatorium pentra numa cavidade na extremidade do núcleo. Este se apresenta eletrondenso com cromatina condensada. O axonema apresenta o padrão 9+9+2 microtúbulos. Os derivados mitocondriais de todas as espécies em cortes transversais são assimétricos. Em direção à região posterior do flagelo, observa-se uma gradual desorganização do axonema, sendo as duplas de microtúbulos as primeiras desaparecerem, seguidas pelo par central, restando apenas os microtúbulos acessórios. Dados da morfologia e ultraestrutura das glândulas acessórias e dos espermatozoides constituem uma importante ferramenta que pode auxiliar no entendimento do processo reprodutivo das vespas sociais do gênero Mischocyttarus bem como em futuras análises filogenéticas.Accessory glands and sperm of species Mischocyttarus were subjected to techniques of light microscopy, conventional transmission electron microscopy and ultrastructural cytochemistry. The glandular epithelium of M. rotundicollis, M. injucundus, M. punctatus and M. cerberus is simple, consisting of low cells with rounded to elongated nuclei with decondensed chromatin and evident nucleoli. The cytoplasm of M. rotundicollis and M. injucundus is rich in rough endoplasmic reticulum with many dilated cisterns and free ribosomes. In M. injucundus, free ribosomes and mitochondria were also seen. Granules with shapes, different sizes and different degrees of electron-are seen in M. injucundus, M. rotundicolis and M. cerberus and secretory vesicles with material inside electrondense M. injucundus. In M. punctatus few secretory vesicles were seen in glandular epithelium. In four species, numerous granules of varying sizes totally electron-were observed in the epithelium and are eliminated into the lumen of glands. In glandular cells of M. cerberus, numerous granules composed of carbohydrates were detected in the cytoplasm of glandular epithelial cells. The content of secretory granules showed negative reaction to the test of basic proteins, indicating that the mixed nature. Secretory vesicles in the cytoplasm of glandular cells of M. cerberus were negative for both cytochemical tests used, indicating that its content consists of different chemicals. Sperm M. attramentarius, M. cerberus, M. injucundus and M. punctatus follow the pattern of the sperm of insects. They are long, thin, linear, measuring between 108 μm is 137μm and the head between 11 μm and 16 μm in length. They have conical acrosome, the Pentra perforatorium a cavity at the end of the core. This presents electrondense with condensed chromatin. The axoneme has the 9 +9 +2 microtubule pattern. The mitochondrial derivatives of all species in cross-sections are asymmetric. Toward the posterior region of the flagellum, there is a gradual disorganization of the axoneme, with microtubule pairs of the first disappear, followed by the central pair microtubules were left with just accessories. Data of morphology and ultrastructure of the accessory glands and sperm are an important tool that can help in understanding the reproductive process of the social wasps of the genus Mischocyttarus as well as In future phylogenetic analysis.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superio

Gregarine Cephaloidophora communis mawrodiadi, 1908 in the barnacle Euraphia rhyzophorae, Oliveira, 1940 from Brazil

The gregarine Cephaloidophora communis was observed for the first time in Brazil in the barnacles Euraphia rhyzophorae collected in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1990 and 1996. Histological studies showed growth phases of the parasite in specific parts of the digestive system. The intracellular forms occurred in the vacuoles of the intestinal cells. Syzygy was frequent, and the most common form following syzygy was cylindrical, with a single membrane. The cytoplasm of the gregarines was always irregular, dense, and occasionally presenting a dark stoch area

Gregarine Cephaloidophora communis mawrodiadi, 1908 in the barnacle Euraphia rhyzophorae, Oliveira, 1940 from Brazil

The gregarine Cephaloidophora communis was observed for the first time in Brazil in the barnacles Euraphia rhyzophorae collected in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1990 and 1996. Histological studies showed growth phases of the parasite in specific parts of the digestive system. The intracellular forms occurred in the vacuoles of the intestinal cells. Syzygy was frequent, and the most common form following syzygy was cylindrical, with a single membrane. The cytoplasm of the gregarines was always irregular, dense, and occasionally presenting a dark stoch area