Spermatogenesis and sperm structure the black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster (Teleostei, Syngnathidae).

The gonads of adult males of the black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster wet observed during the reproductive season to describe mature sperm both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results show that. a) the sperms number is always very low and, does not vary significantly during the reproductive season; b) all mature sperms observed may be assigned to the introsperm-like type. These data suggest that the unique and functional sperm of Syngnathids pertain to the introsperm type typical of internally fertilising teleostean bony fishes. Z9 0