Development of male reproductive system of the blue land crab Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille, 1828 (Decapoda: Gecarcinidae)

Shinozaki‐Mendes, R.A., Silva, J.R.F. and Hazin, F.H.V. 2011. Development of male reproductive system of the blue land crab Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille, 1828 (Decapoda: Gecarcinidae). —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 93: 390–399. In this study, the reproductive tract of the Cardisoma guanhumi was described both macroscopically and microscopically. The maturation stages of the reproductive system were defined, and the development of germ cells was described. The reproductive tract is made up of a pair of testis, a pair of vas deferentia, and a pair of ejaculatory ducts. The germ cells were classified in the order of development as spermatogonia (diameter: 10.5 ± 0.11 μm), spermatocytes (9.7 ± 0.07 μm), spermatids (initial phase: 5.5 ± 0.06 μm; final phase: 4.3 ± 0.05), and spermatozoa (SPZ) (4.0 ± 0.03 μm). The testis is made up of a germ zone, a maturation zone and collector ducts, which lead to the anterior vas deferens (AVD), containing solely SPZ. The spermatophores (SPH) start to be formed in the AVD, through the secretion of spermatophoric and protein matrices. In the median vas deferens, the SPH, already fully formed, are stored, while in the posterior vas deferens, a large production of a glycoprotein matrix is observed. Based on macroscopic and microscopic description of the male reproductive tract, three maturation stages are proposed: immature, maturing, and mature.