Gamete mating and fusion in the marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sp.

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Abstract
Gamete mating and fusion of Scrippsiella sp. have been studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. When two gametes mate, the transverse flagellum of one gamete migrates out of the girdle and grasps the longitudinal flagellum of the other gamete and then returns to the girdle. Two gametes move together by helical movement of this transverse flagellum over the longitudinal flagellum of the other gamete. Fusion starts when the sulcal regions near the flagellar pores of the gametes contact each other, and then it extends first to the hypothecal regions. The epicones of the gametes fuse later. As fusion proceeds, one of the transverse flagella is lost and the other elongates to surround both gametes. When plasmogamy is completed, a motile zygote (planozygote) is formed which retains two longitudinal flagella and one transverse flagellum. Comparison of this process with that of cell division shows clearly the important differences between them which should help to avoid confusion in the future. The present findings are also compared with those of other dinoflagellate species in which sexual reproduction has been studied, and the similarity between dinoflagellate gamete mating and that of Chlamydomonas is noted.

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