Shepherd, A.M.

Walsh, J.A.

Walsh, J. A.

Shepherd, A. M.

Rothamsted Repository

A further observation on sperm structurein a Heterodera sp.

Horizon / Pleins textes

Notes brèves 
Nematodes  were  adily  identified  when  cut 
obliquely or dong their longitudinal axis so tha t  
some of their internal organs could be recognised 
(Fig. 1A). Other  nematodes  cut  in  cross  ection 
often had their internal organs missing but could 
still be identified due to the general appearance of 
the cuticle and its circular form with a diameter 
corresponding  to tba t  of nematodes.  In certain 
situations  the  width of the nematode annules could 
be  measured  and  anastomoses  observed  in  the  lateral 
line  (Fig. 1D). 
This technique could be used to  identify  the eco- 
logical  niche  occupied by  nematodes  in  different 
soil types  and  may help  explain  why  different 
nematodes species appear to Vary in their suscep- 
tibility to certain nematicides (Boag, 1979). 
REFERENCES 
BARIIER, K R .  & NUSBAUM, C.T. (1971).  Diagnostic 
and advisory programmes. In : Zuckerman, B.M., 
Mai, W.F. & Rohde,  R.A. (Eds). Plant   Parasi t ic  
Nematodes Vol. 1, London & New York, Academic 
Press : 281-300. 
BOAG, B. (1979). Nematodes associated with carrots 
in Scotland. Ann. appl. Biol., 93 : 199-204. 
CENT, J. & BREWER, R. (1971). Preparation of thin 
sections of soil materials  using  synthetic resins. 
C.S.I.R.O.,  Australia,  Diu.  Soils,  Techn.  Paper 
N o .  7. 
FITZPATRICK, A.E. (1970). A technique for the prep- 
aration of large thin sections of soils and uncon- 
solidated materials. In : Osmond, D.A. & Bullock, 
P.  (Eds) : Micromorphological  techniques  and 
applications. Agr.  Res. Council, Soil Survey, 
Harpenden  (U.K.)  Techn Monogr. No. 2 : 3-31. 
HEATH, J., BROWN, D.J.F. & BOAG, B. (1977). Pro- 
uisional  Atlas of Nematodes of the  British  Isles. 
Biological Records  Centre,  Abbots  Ripton,  England, 
76 p. 
JONES, D. & GRIFFITHS, E. (1964). The use of thin 
soil sections for the  study of soil micro-organisms. 
Pl. Soi l ,  20 : 232-240. 
JONES, F.G.W.,  LARBEY,  D.W. & PARROTT, D.M. 
(1969).  The influence of soil structure  and  moisture 
on nematodes,  especially Xiphinema,   Longidorus ,  
Trichodorus and Heterodera spp. Soil  Biol.  Biochem., 
JONGERIOUS, A. & HEINTZBERGER, G. (1975).  Methods 
in  soil  micro-morphology.  A technique  for  the 
preparation of large  thin  sections. Soil   Survey 
Papers  No .  10, Netherlands Soil Survey Institute, 
Wageningen. 
PITCHER, R.S.  (1967).  The  host-parasite  relations 
and ecology of Trichodorus  uiruliferus on apple 
roots,  as  observed  from an underground  laboratory. 
Nematologica, 13 : 547-557. 
ROBERTSON, L. & NORMINGTON, J.H. (1976). Attach- 
ment for lapping  consolidated  materials  with 
particular reference to  the  preparation of soil 
thin sections. Lab.  Prac.,  25 : 470-471. 
1 : 153-165. 
Accepté pour publication le 11 mars  1982. 
A FURTHER OBSERVATION ON SPERM STRUCTURE I N  A H E T E R O D E R A  sp. 
John A. Walsh and Audrey M. Shepherd * 
Spermatogenesis and the ultrastructure of sperm Mulvey and Stone (1976) proposed tha t  these sub- 
in  some  cyst  nematodes  has  been  described  by genera (Globodera and Heterodera) be  raised to  
Shepherd,  Clark  and  Kempton  (1973).  These  authors generic rank  and in support  cited  the differences in 
noted differences in  the  condensation of the  nucleus sperm  development  described by Shepherd,  Clark 
during  spermatogenesis  between  members of the and  Kempton (1973), and  other  ultrastructural 
then  subgenera Heterodera  (Heterodera) and H. studies. During their studies of spermatogenesis in  
(Globodera).  More recently  Behrens  (1975)  and cyst  nematodes  Shepherd et al. (unreported)  searched 
Nematology Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts.,  AL5 2JQ, England.  
148 Reuue  Nématol .  6 (1) : (1983) 
Fig. 1. A : Spermatozoa (sp) in the spermatheca (sa) of H .  goettingiana, ( x 4 500). B : An enlargement of one 
of the  spermatozoa (sp) showing the nuclear  material  (n)  in  the condensed state ( x 15 000). G : A spermatozoon (sp) 
of Globodera rostochiensis in the female reproductive  tract showing the nuclear  material  (n)  in  the coarsely stranded 
state ( x 14 000). 
Revue Nèrnatol. 6 (1) : (1983) 149 
Notes brbues 
Table 1 
Morphology of nucleus  in  members of the genus 
STAGE OF SPERMATOGENESIS Glo bodera  Heterodera 
Spermatogonium 
Spermatocyte 
Spermatid 
membrane-bound  ovoid  nucleus membrane-bound  ovoid  nucleus 
chromatin  in  shadowy  patches chromatin  in  shadowy  patches 
chromatin homogeneous, elec- chromatin  homogeneous, elec- 
tron-dense,  no  nuclear  membrane  tron-dense,  no  nuclear  membrane 
Mature  spermatozoon  in  male beaded plamentous  until  ear  homogeneous,  lectron-dense 
cloaca then homogeneous, elec- 
tron-dense 
ing to coarsely  stranded 
Mature  sp rmatozoon  in  female  electron-dense  on  try, chang- homogeneous  electron-dense 
for but  were  unable  to find spermatozoa  in  the 
female  reproductive  tract of the  members of the 
genus Helerodera examined. 
Whilst  studying  the  intracellular  icket<tsia-like 
micro-organisms in  cyst  nematodes  (Walsh,  1979, 
1981),  spermatozoa  were  observed  in  the  spermatheca 
of the pea  cyst-nematode, H .  goettingiana. This  note 
describes  these  spermatozoa  and  reveals  a  further 
difference between  the  members. of the genera 
Globodera and Heterodera studied. 
Females of H .  goet f ingiana were  obtained  and 
prepared  for  electron  microscopy  as  described by  
Shepherd,  Clark  and  Dart  (1972). 
Fig. 1A  shows  spermatozoa  (sp)  in  the  spermatheca 
(sa) of H .  goettingiana ; 1B is an  enlargement of one 
of these  spermatozoa  showing  the  nuclear  material  (n) 
in a condensed state.  This  represents  another differ- 
ence between the members of the genera Globodera 
and Heterodera t ha t  have been studied because in 
G. rostochiensis the  nuclear  material  (n) of the 
spermatozoa is “coarsely stranded ” by t.he time it 
reaches the  spermatheca  (Fig. 1C). This  coarsely 
stranded  appearance  and  the  beaded  filamentous 
appearance (Tab. 1) of Globodera sperm nuclei have 
never  been  observed  in Heterodera spermatozoa. 
Infection of spermatozoa  by the rickettsla-like 
organisms does not seem to  affect the structure of 
the nuclear material ; the  condensed state of the 
nucleus has been seen in infected (Fig. 1 A & B) 
and  uninfected  (Triantaphyllou & Hirschmann, 
1962) Heterodera spermatozoa  nd  the  stranded 
state has also been  seen in spermatozoa  from an  
infected  (Fig. 1C) and  an uninfected  (Fig. 7c in 
Shepherd,  Clark & Kempton,  1973)  population of 
Globodera  rostochiensis. The  morphology , of the 
sperm nucleus during the stages of spermatogenesis 
described by Shepherd  (1981)  are  summarized  in 
Table 1 for the members of the genera Globodera 
and Heterodera studied  and differences are  in italics. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
J.A. Walsh was supported by a Science Research 
Council of Great Britain CASE award. 
REFERENCES 
BEHRENS, E. (1975). Globodera Skarbilovich, 1959, 
eine  selbstandige  Gattung  in  der  Unterfamilie 
Heteroderinae Skarbilovich, 1947 (Nematoda : 
Heteroderidae). 1. Vortragstagung zu Aktuellen 
Problemen  der  Phytonematologie am. 29-5-1975 in 
MULVEY, R.H. & STONE, A.R. (1976). Description of 
Punctodera matadorensis n. gen., n.  sp.  (Nematoda : 
Heteroderidae)  from  Saskatchewan  with  lists of 
species and generic  diagnoses of Globodera (n. 
rank), Heterodera and Sarisodera.  Can. J .  Zool., 
SHEPHERD, A.M. (1981).  Interpretation of sperm 
development  in  nematodes. Nernatologica, 27 : 
SHEPHERD, A.M., CLARK, S.A. & DART, P.J. (1972). 
Cuticle structure in the genus Heterodera.  Nema- 
tologica, 18 : 1-17. 
Rostock, 12-26. 
54 : 772-785. 
122-125. 
150 Revue  Nèmatol .  6 (1) : (1983) 


A further observation on sperm structure in a Heterodera sp.

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