Structures of ovary and ovarian follicle in flathead lobster, Thenus orientalis (Lund, 1793) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Scyllarida)

ImeIOWThe nathead lobster, Thenus orientalis, is widely distributed in the trOPical and subtIDPical indO - West Pacific region. T. orientalis is one of the most eCOnondcally significantspecies among scyllarids althoUgh its catch is nowhere large. In addition to its eCOnondc value,T. Orientalis is also of great scientific value because it represents a fdrily wfor reproductivebiology is ~ly studied. It is important to clarify the structures of ovary and Ovarian follicle inT. Orientalis.…

Structures of ovary and ovarian follicle in flathead lobster, Thenus orientalis (Lund, 1793) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Scyllarida)

The ovary contains four morphological components: (1) the ovarian wall, (2) the reproductive epithelium, (3) the cellular layer containing oocytes, oogonia (especially for early-developing ovary) and follicle cells, and (4) the extensions of the ovarian wall. The ovarian wall and its extensions consist of blood vessels, sinuses, muscle cells and others. The extensions of the ovarian wall project into among the follicles and insert on the thick basal membrane of each follicle. From inside to outside, the follicles are composed of four parts: (1) the oocyte, (2) the perivitelline space, (3) the follicle cells, and (4) the basal membrane. The surface of the oocyte during vitellogenesis is folded into numerous long microvilli that project into the perivitelline space between the oocyte surface and the bace of the follicle cell layer. In addition, the plasma membrane of the vitellogenic oocyte contains many pinocytotic pits. The perivitelline space is engorged with with more electron- denser material as the development of the follicle. The inclusion of perivitelline space in the mature follicle is named specially as the chorine. The chorion is composed of two region, a thinner exochorion and a thicker endochorion containing electron-dense granular material. The follicle cell layer is composed of a single layer of polygonal follicle cells which exhibit higher synthetic activity. The synthetic product of the follicle cell layer is one scarce for the inclusion of the perivitelline space. The structures of the ovary and ovarian follicle in T. orientalis show that the exogenously biosyn- thetic yolk plays important roles in the vitellogenesis.