Aberrant spermatozoa and spermatids, and observations on phagocytosis, in Sparganophilus tamesis (Sparganophilidae, Oligochaeta, Annelida): an ultrastructural study

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Abstract
In Sparganophilus tamesis replication, misalignment and misplacement phenomena occur in aberrant spermatids and spermatozoa, and giant nuclei are recorded in some sperm. Sperm components replicate independently of each other, but midpiece replication was not observed. Aberrancy was commonest and showed greatest variation in the acrosomal region, and it is suggested that double acrosome tubes may share a common precursor primary vesicle. Phagocytosis by coelomocytes and by cytophores occurs in the seminal vesicles. The spermathecae were empty and the possibility that the population is parthenogenetic is discussed.